These doubts creep into our minds at the worst times and cause us to create self-sabotaging stories. We tell ourselves things like:
I’m not good enough.
I’m not ready enough.
I need more equipment.
Other people will see that I’m an imposter.
If we aren’t careful, we can forget about why we started our businesses in the first place. We can lose sight of the transformation we’re hoping to provide our clients. We can allow our God-given gifts and talents and the possibility to change lives to be hidden.
Your inner critic will show up every time you decide to step out of your comfort zone… But as one of my favorite quotes goes:
“If you’re willing to be seen, magical things can happen.”
Navigating your inner critic isn’t something that comes up just once in your entrepreneurship journey. It doesn’t go away when you hit a certain level of success. In fact, the bigger your business gets, the more often your Inner Critic will step in and attempt to sabotage your success.
That inner critic will pop up at every stage, at every level, every time you say yes to moving forward. If you let it, it will stop you from moving forward.
And THAT’S exactly why it’s absolutely vital to get ahold of your Inner Critic right now. Here are a few strategies for silencing that voice that have worked well in my business over the years.
3 Ways to Overcome Your Inner Critic
1. Let go of perfectionism & take imperfect action.
My coach challenged me a few weeks ago to take action on a small offer that I didn’t feel was ready. I’m a planner at heart. I like having a detailed plan, with every step planned from point A to B. Sometimes that can hold me back because I want everything to be perfect. I don’t want to mess up.
Letting go of perfectionism has been essential to my ability to grow. Taking messy action still scares me, but it’s something I’ve had to learn to do in order to get out of my own way and grow my business.
2. Remember your purpose.
Don’t let what you have to offer the world remain hidden. Don’t stand on the sidelines or stay silent. If you ever start to question whether you really have what it takes—remember your bigger purpose and trust that everything you’re doing is in service of fulfilling that purpose.
3. Practice Positive Affirmations.
Repel negative thoughts. Develop a positive mindset. Positive Affirmations are short positive statements targeted at a specific set of negative beliefs. When practiced regularly, a positive affirmation can help to make lasting, long-term changes to the ways that you think and feel.
Remember: You’re not alone, and you’re not the only one who feels this way.
We are all challenged by our inner critic at every stage of business, from zero to six figures and beyond.
If you’re ready to stop your inner critic in her tracks and get out of your own way, here are a few tools and resources.
These books are a few of my favorites and have been instrumental in helping me overcome my own inner critic, and I believe you’ll find them helpful as well.
How do you overcome your Inner Critic? Do you have any tips or strategies to share? If so, comment below! I’d love to hear what works for you.
