Have you ever sat down to work on a goal, perhaps one you felt genuinely excited about just twenty-four hours earlier, and heard a small, sharp voice whisper: “Who do you think you are?” Or maybe it sounds like: “You’re just going to quit this like you quit that thing in 2023.” Or: “This isn't original enough.” That voice is universal. In the world of high performance, author Steven Pressfield calls it Resistance. It is the internal force that fights against any form of growth or creation. Today, we aren't going to try to "kill" that voice (spoiler: you can't). Instead, we are going to name it, study it, and put it in the passenger seat where it belongs.
The biggest mistake we make is believing that the Inner Critic is us. We think those thoughts are our own intuition or "realistic" warnings. But your Inner Critic isn't your intuition; it’s a biological survival mechanism trying to keep you safe by keeping you small. By giving this voice a name and a persona, we practice Cognitive Diffusion. You move from being the criticism to observing the criticism. When "Judgmental Janet" or "Safety-First Sam" starts talking, you can say, “Ah, I see Sam is feeling anxious about this project,” rather than, “I am failing at this project.” This simple shift allows you to stay the course even when your confidence wavers.
Since this exercise isn't in your guidebook, grab your journal or a blank piece of paper. We are going to unmask your critic.
Step 1: Create the Persona
If this voice were a character in a movie, a fictional villain, or even a grumpy relative, what would they look like? How do they dress? What is their tone of voice?
Give them a name. (Common choices: The Drill Sergeant, The Perfectionist, Bitter Betty, The Skeptic).
Describe them. "My critic is a stuffy librarian with a clipboard who sighs loudly every time I make a mistake."
Step 2: Capture the Script
Every Inner Critic has a "Greatest Hits" album of three or four things they say to you most often. Write them down exactly as you hear them.
Example: "You’re wasting your time; this will never make money."
Example: "Everyone is going to think you’re a fraud."
Step 3: Build Your Legal Defense
Now, I want you to look at those scripts through the eyes of a lawyer. What are the hard facts that prove those lies wrong?
The Lie: "You always quit."
The Defense: "I completed a 21-day challenge. I showed up for my kids every day last week. I am capable of consistency."
Step 4: The New Seating Chart
Draw a picture of a car. Put "You" in the driver's seat. Put your "North Star" in the passenger seat. Now, put your "Inner Critic" in the backseat. They are allowed to be in the car, and they are allowed to talk, but they are not allowed to touch the steering wheel or the radio.
BONUS | The 10-Minute Reset: Write down the single biggest lie your critic tells you on a scrap of paper. Now, physically destroy it. Rip it up into tiny pieces, crumple it, or (safely) burn it. As you do, say out loud: "This voice is a passenger, not the captain." Notice how much lighter the "design" feels once you’ve stopped trying to please a critic who can never be satisfied.
