Do you know that voice inside your head?
The one that often holds you back from taking a risk or stepping up to the plate when an opportunity presents itself?
It's called your inner critic. We all have it.
This voice is a powerful force that can hold you back from achieving your goals.
It's that voice that tells you:
"You're not good enough."
"You don't have what it takes."
"It's too hard, so why bother?"
And while self-criticism can be sometimes a valuable tool in keeping you grounded, the problem is that when you listen to this negative voice too closely and believe everything it says, you can get stuck in a rut of self-doubt and fear. And as we grow and take on more responsibility—whether it's launching a start-up or leading a team—dealing with our gremlins can get in the way of us being better leaders.
It's time to quiet the voice that holds you back and replace it with one that inspires you to take action. It's time for a new inner dialogue.
Become self-aware and identify the inner critic voice.
This means recognizing when it's there, what words it uses and what tone of voice it takes. Once you have a better idea of how your gremlins operate, you can begin to take action against them.
Make it in your favor instead.
You can replace its negative messages with a more positive approach. For example, if it says, "You don't have what it takes," try saying: "I'm working on getting stronger." Or if it says, "It's too hard," say instead: "I've faced bigger challenges before and succeeded."
When you are able to silence the voice that says, "I can't," you will be able to hear your inner coach and start taking action. You'll feel more confident in yourself, which will help you build stronger relationships with others. And as a result, they'll trust you more—which means they'll follow your lead.
In the end, it's not about beating yourself up. It's about empowering yourself to be a better leader than you were yesterday.
