Banish Your Inner Critic

MinneWebCon Minneapolis, MN 25 April 2016

Denise Jacobs

@denisejacobs#minnewebcon @MinneWebCon

#banishyourcritic

Want the slides? Go here:

Creativedo.se/minnewebcon-ic

Photo by Derek Kearney

WaitWhat?!

Founder + CEO, The Creative Dosehttp://TheCreativeDose.com/

Upon a timehttp://www.behance.net/gallery/Once-Upon-a-Time/2918365

29 Junehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/jblndl/3154255478/

I was going to be an author!Photo: Denise Jacobs

Instead of creativityPhoto from Flickr.com

Destructivityhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/

The voices in my head were mercilesshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/

I totally freaked out

I shouldn't be writing thisI misrepresented myself

I don't know enoughThis should be someone elses book

Im going to look stupidEveryone will see that Im a fakeWhat if it's not good enough?What if I'm not good enough?

Noreally!

2 dayshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/fiery-phoenix/8428079916/

Worked non-stop & burned outhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/5827849044/

My internal critical voiceshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/

Made this happen

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70938871@N05/8230432077

Physical evidence of fearhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpyfeline/4626401443/

A different kind of fearPhoto: Denise Jacobs

Fears + Internalized criticisms

https://www.flickr.com/photos/remoto/5313967682

= The Inner Critic

https://www.flickr.com/photos/acerriteno/3484093889/

F.E.A.R. =

http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg

Or

https://twitter.com/Phishtitz/status/474661495935365120

YES! (and)https://www.flickr.com/photos/willsan/3780293130

The enemy of creativity

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardwinchell/130344669/

Stress & frustration

https://www.flickr.com/photos/corneveaux/3248566797/

Suppress generative impulses in the brain

https://www.flickr.com/photos/birthintobeing/11841180046

Thoughts =https://www.flickr.com/photos/57375589@N05/9046508025/

Electrical impulses =http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neuron-matrix.png

= Brainwaves!http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

Know your brainwaves

Blocks creative expressionhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/

Self-rebuke will stall your creative efforts.- Shelly Carson, Your Creative Brain

How to ID your Inner Critichttp://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/

Listen for internal critical talkhttp://brenebrown.com/2014/04/08/daring-interview-series-meet-gavin-aung/

OMG, Im SO busy!

I should have done more by now

http://www.flickr.com/photos/automania/126698126/

Theyll find out Im a fraud

vs. NAILED IT!https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-drummond/3946893897

It needs to be FLAWLESShttp://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/

Ill do it tomorrow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

Really, Ill do it tomorrow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

I will do it tomorrow!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

Meet your inner critic

1) Write down one fear around your creativity

https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/5788826472/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dhinson/1290445055/

2) Crumple paper into ball Then

3) On 3, throw it!http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1-baSAE8ZI/VDM3BbuiaFI/AAAAAAAABKk/l91FBGvSgkA/s1600/IMAGE_437.jpg

Anthing sound familiar?Photo: Denise Jacobs

Youre in good companyhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/17843347@N05/4610644207/

Afflicts ALL of us!

http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/jimmy-fallon-the-unsinkable-legend-part-2 (@ 8:15)

I dont have what these people want to see they want to see a funny guy! Thats not me. - Jerry Seinfeld, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97477873@N00/13016287284/

We need to unleashhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

We need brain managementhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronica/13994747444/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nrbelex/2247397943/

You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you [try to create] with someone looking over your shoulder, you'll never [create]. Nikki Giovanni

How do we

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/5445602998/

Banish the Inner Critic?https://www.flickr.com/photos/31505964@N08/4691019168/

You cant outrun the voiceshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/wester/504925076/

Imposition Mentalityhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/bethscupham/7328405210

Eliminate Have to/Should/Must/Ought

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mythoto/3822942678/

Replace with I choose/ I decide/ I willhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/mstry-2525-gst/3312199285/

Comparison Syndromehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/kharied/3315558702/

You cannot compare your insides to someone elses outsides.

Say NO to Comparisonshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/suvodeb/2559017400/

You & what you produce is unique

Establish boundarieshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisawakeupcall/5595296868/

(Btw, this your new mantra)http://www.spunkysapphire.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/photo-1-e1406074730116.jpg

Beat Impostor Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome Paradox

http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/

You will onlyexperience impostor syndrome whenyou are competent and skilled.

(re-readthis as many times asnecessary.)

Inner Critic psychology hackshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/insk/3884826712/

Ask it questionshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749432145/

Be compassionatehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/2646295354/

Reassign dutyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/shavawnmarie/1326123397/

Reframe fear of failurehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717325940/

http://culturecatch.com/files/images/after-earth.jpg

Fear is not real. It is a product of the

thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand

me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.

- character of Cypher Raige, After Earth

Embrace failure and mistakezhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4498817330/

Being right keeps us in place. Being wrong forces us to explore. Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From

Copy the Fail MastersPhoto: Denise Jacobs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959864706/

Take steps, #FAIL; Go again!

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.- Henry Ford

Judgment Dreadhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/jdlasica/12825451433/

Remember egocentricity

Cop a Power Pose

Our bodies change our minds, our minds change our behavior, and our behavior changes our outcomes.- Amy Cuddy, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are TED talk

Feed each other

Breaking the loop

Perfectionismhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/

Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order. Anne Wilson Schaef

The real problem

http://cuttingthecheese.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/26810560251953842_ede18tng_f.jpg

Perfectionists focus on the finished product

https://www.flickr.com/photos/phatcontroller/3667889959/

Rather than the processhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/spyndle/474122586/

The Best vs The mosthttps://www.flickr.com/photos/villify/10871945326

Be bad/make it uglyhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/kpwerker/6051104684

Embrace the SFDTwitter, circa 2006

Satisficehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/sleepyvalley/3650673328

Remember:

https://twitter.com/dickelippe/status/581204005013078016/photo/1

Perfection Excellence

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaldoche/4771465356

Dont let perfect become the enemy of good. Voltaire

Procrastination

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

The trick is not self-identifyinghttp://20px.com/blog/2013/09/06/a-field-guide-to-procrastinators/

Nor administering a dose of

https://www.flickr.com/photos/116357579@N08/13178367583

Procrastinators are NOT lazy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/code_martial/4145914957

The unknown can be paralyzing

http://hub.salford.ac.uk/energymonitoring/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/01/known-knowns1.jpg

Pro tip: Reframe the unknownhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/jonmelsa/3000222387/

Increase the meaning/valuehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/eyeliam/2460475510/

Mind Trickshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/32135758@N02/5325454434/

Dont do it, just get ready toPhoto: Denise Jacobs

Structured procrastinationhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/superamit/1043379069

Time & Space Trickshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/

Eliminate distractions

From Shit Black Girls Say, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXDpfhehb6I

Ignore to focus

https://www.flickr.com/photos/massimobarbieri/3998455558/

Browser Extensions (Firefox) LeechBlock Idderall Browser Extensions (Chrome) Strict Workflow StayFocusd Website Blocker

Tools RescueTime.com HeyFocus.com

Aids for digital blocking

Added bonusHeyFocus.com

Airplane/Do Not Disturb mode

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieterouwerkerk/699475144/

Make it a Sprint

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/4975166968/

Fill a Quota

https://www.flickr.com/photos/teosaurio/3392883329/

Remember thisPhoto: Denise Jacobs

My storys end?http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonialuna/2942020058/

Februaryhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/3709856898/

#FAILhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/dafnecholet/5374200948

#WINNING!http://www.flickr.com/photos/clappstar/6297835482/

I wrote my first book!

Photo: Denise Jacobs

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thatconference/9532425040/

Which created AMAZING things for me

Disturbing dreamshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/agroffman/4613265988

My own inner creative childPhoto: Deloria Jacobs

Always reaching for perfectionPhoto: Denise Jacobs

The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterdaybut never jam to-day.

It MUST come sometimes to jam to-day, Alice objected.

No, it cant, said the Queen. Its jam every OTHER day: to-day isnt any OTHER day, you know.

from Through the Looking Glass & What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll

Jam = Reward / Satisfactionhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/macati/2180421766

YOU NEVER GET JAMhttp://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/alicepic/through-the-looking-glass/2book42.jpg

By sharing my experiencePhoto: Deloria Jacobs

Show you there is an alternativehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/buttersponge/4955768144

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/9220121158/

The creative adult is the child who survived after the world tried killing them, making them grown up.

The creative adult is the child who survived the blandness of schooling, the unhelpful words of bad teachers, and the nay-saying ways of the world. Ursula K. L Guin

https://www.flickr.com/photos/theburiedlife/2167001643/

By understanding this truth

Youll look at yourself differentlyhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/edenpictures/3460562429

Let out all of your ideas

https://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8115237421/

Because, after all

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aoberg/9652158212

The EndPhoto: Denise Jacobs

My upcoming book!

Banish Your Inner Critic

Get on the list! DeniseJacobs.com/InnerCritic

Identify and Eliminate Mental Blocks to Unleash Creativity

THE CREATIVE DOSE A Creativity + Innovation Collective

Creative Thinking + Problem-solving

Creative Collaboration Team Communication + Cohesion

Professional Development + Speaking Coaching

TheCreativeDose.com@thecreativedose

Get the slides!

Creativedo.se/minnewebcon-ic

DeniseJacobs.com Sign up on my mailing list!

denise@denisejacobs.com

twitter.com/denisejacobs

facebook.com/denisejacobsdotcom

slideshare.net/denisejacobs

Connect + Collaborate With Me!

Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/

And finally

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27620885@N02/2609974180/