You have an inner critic, don’t you? I think most of us do. Mine’s a middle aged man—the ringleader of all reviewers—who lies in wait in my head, looking for a chance to tell me what’s wrong with what I’m doing. He’s harsh.
But today I’m going to write him a letter to tell him why I disagree with his reviews.
Dear Inner Critic,
I have been following your reviews and opinions for many years and would like to give my sincere congratulations for your perseverance over these many decades.
However, I believe that your criticisms are sometimes too severe and do not take into consideration the homely and experimental nature of creative spirit.
Not every endeavor is destined for perfection. For you to insist that it is and to compare every work to your ideal is limiting this artist’s enthusiasm to produce more. And as we all know, practice makes perfect.
So I humbly request that you keep your mouth shut and allow the artist to do her thing in peace. When she is ready for your comments, I am sure she will ask for them.
Sincerely,
Kristen
Now it’s your turn. What would you like to say to your inner critic?
Posted by kuri at June 18, 2004 11:34 AMStop talking about my gut!
Posted by: UltraBob on June 18, 2004 09:32 AMI had the best success with this went I let my inner critic speak first, then I could address him directly. Two letters. One from the critic and one from yourself. It’s interesting letting the critic write that first letter, because the critquing mechanism is at work even then. Tough guy, that critic, but the following letter from yourself becomes even more empowering.
Posted by: Jenny on June 20, 2004 07:42 PM