Begin to Focus on What’s Important
Successful or not, everyone has an inner critic. You know, the voice in your head that judges, doubts and belittles you. The voice that constantly says ” you’re not qualified”.
The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is that successful people have learned to ignore their inner critic. They understand that what they say to themselves matter. They eliminated the negative self-talk.
Unfortunately, your inner critic stops you from pursuing the life you truly want. But you can take control and change this with these four steps to stop negative self-talk in its tracks.
1. Recognize the Critic
Before you can stop negative self-talk, you must first know that your inner critic exists. Much of our thinking is automatic and you may not notice your critic; as many times it can come across as concerned, and have you doubt yourself. So, you must make a conscious effort to slow down and pay attention to your thoughts. This will help you identify when your inner critic is present.
2. Separate Yourself from the Critic
Don’t be fooled. Your inner critic thrives when you mistake those thoughts as part of your authentic self. Separate yourself from your inner critic by giving it a name. Call it anything you like, “Nag”, Lies, Dirt – you get the examples. The important thing is that you separate your inner critic from your own identity. When you do, you free yourself from its influence.
3. Talk Back to the Critic
The only way to take away your inner critic’s power is by talking back to it. Dismiss it. Tell it that you don’t want to hear it. Tell it to shut up. When you speak back to the critic, you will sense that you have a choice in the situation. When the critic starts to talk, tell it to go away, and that you refuse to listen.
4. Replace the Critic
The best way to defeat the critic is to have a stronger ally on your side. Work on growing an inner voice that acts as your best friend rather than your enemy. To do this, begin seeing all the good things about you. Keep a journal of your accomplishments or compliments you’ve received. Get to know yourself and write down what you like about yourself, so when your inner critic says something crazy, you can counter it with your positive attributes. Acknowledge that you do have positive traits and that you can achieve. I also recite bible scriptures that express the love God has for me.
To break the cycle of negative self-talk, you must make a conscious effort to recognize your inner critic and change the way you interact with it. When you cut negative self-talk from your life, you will begin to see a dramatic shift in your mindset and be able to focus on the success you aspire to achieve.
