Banish Your Inner Critic

To Unblock Creativity

Denise R. JacobsAdobe Max 2015 Los Angeles, CA 5 October 2015

@denisejacobs

@AdobeMax #AdobeMax

#banishyourcritic

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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 a writer!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-stophttps://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/5827849044/

Pushed myself to burn-out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4052943367/

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

Internalized criticisms + fears

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

= The Inner Critichttps://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/

Creative brainwaveshttp://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

Know your brainwaves

Stress & frustration

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

Suppress generative impulses in the brain

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

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

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 nowhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/kharied/3315558702/

Theyll find out Im a fraud

I dont know enough

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Einstein_1921_by_F_Schmutzer.jpg

(You can be intimidated into this, btw)

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

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.)

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/

Feed each other

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/

*Everyone* has these thoughts

Instructions: 1) Write down one fear around your creativity 2) Crumple paper into ball Then

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

3) Throw across the room!http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1-baSAE8ZI/VDM3BbuiaFI/AAAAAAAABKk/l91FBGvSgkA/s1600/IMAGE_437.jpg

Anything sound familiar?https://www.flickr.com/photos/jiscinfonet/8431707991/

In order forhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

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

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

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

The goal is to manage anxiety so that our energies are used for the productive and satisfying art of creating

rather than the destructive and debilitating art of self-torture. - Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution

How do we

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

Banish the Inner Critic?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31505964@N08/4691019168/

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/

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

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

Ask it questions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749432145/

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

Reassign duty

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shavawnmarie/1326123397/

Remember your successeshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/

(My personal version)Photo: Denise Jacobs

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

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

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

Fear of being judgedhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/jdlasica/12825451433/

Remember egocentricity

Decouple performance from identityhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/krissen/6824608878

You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.

Dr. Maya Angelou

Fear of failure

http://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

Reframe and embrace failurehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/danielagama_fotografando/4029208908/

And mistakez

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4498817330/

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

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

Embrace the SFDTwitter, circa 2006

Copy the #fail mastersPhoto: Denise Jacobs

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

Take steps, #FAIL; Go again!

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

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

Clear the pipes: Morning Pageshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/juliejordanscott/4970674253//

Perfection Excellence

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

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

Increase the meaning/value

http://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

Tools RescueTime.com GetConcentrating.com HeyFocus.com

Browser Extensions Firefox: LeechBlock Idderall Google Chrome: Strict Workflow StayFocusd Website Blocker

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 this:Photo: 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

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

My own inner creative child

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

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

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

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

Your imperfect, amazing ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcymet/3564484236/

Because, after all

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

The EndPhoto: Denise Jacobs

THE CREATIVE DOSE A Creativity + Innovation Collective

Work Better. Create More. Create Betterness.

Creative Thinking & Problem-solving Applying an Innovation Mindset

Creative Collaboration Team Communication & Cohesion

TheCreativeDose.com@thecreativedose

My upcoming book!Banish Your Inner Critic

DeniseJacobs.com/InnerCritic

26 Effective Techniques for Unleashing Productive Creativity

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