The Inner Critic in the Creative Process

The inner critic is an internal voice that can really make creative processes difficult and be detrimental to our well-being overall - it can bring up anxieties around creativity and make it hard for us to actually enjoy the creative process and sometimes it can even make it impossible. So learning to understand and navigate this voice is important. I think all of us have this inner voice to some extent and for me personally its been something I've struggled with so much in my life. 

Our inner critic is excellent at highlighting our perceived faults and shortcomings with precision. Its voice often feels like an authoritative pronouncement, as though it were an absolute truth. However, these critical statements rarely reflect objective reality. 

The voice of our inner critic develops already  in childhood, and it develops because it want to help us. It originally has a protective function which is aimed to shield us from shame and pain - it helps us feel accepted by others as it adjusts our behavior so we might feel love and protection from others. 

The inner critic is a relational creature, formed within the context of relationships.The voice of the inner critic often echoes the voices of our parents or early caregivers. It evaluates our readiness for connection, aiming to protect us from rejection, judgment, and abandonment. Often it can be awakened especially as a response to perceived social dangers. So in a way it works as an internal alarm system. The relational aspect of the inner critic comes up especially in statements where the inner critic asks "what will people think?" 

Each of out inner critics has its own essence and can be a mixture or collection of several different voices or subpersonalities.

It can be a pleaser which regulates our behavior to seek acceptance by disowning our own needs and prioritizing others' happiness. It can be a rulemaker which sets rigid standards for who we should be and closely keeps an eye on our behavior to ensure we comply to these standards. It can be a pusher which tells us that we can be loved only if we succeed. It drives us to do more, faster, and better and perpetually moves the goalposts, making success feel out of reach. Or it can be a perfectionist who demands flawless performance, treating every task as equally important and subjecting everything to unrealistic standards of perfection.

I think a lot of times we want to just get rid of the inner critic, to push it away. I think its better to embrace the inner critic. Behind it is a vulnerable part of us that just wants to feel loved. This is completely natural and understandable. Instead of trying to quiet this part of us we should embrace it, and listen to it, not from a motivation of wanting to change it but from wanting to understand it. Underneath the tough attacks of the inner critic lies a very soft, tender, even terrified inner core of us. But whether we want to give the inner critic our power or to hold it for ourselves that is our choice. 

It’s good to remember that the inner critic can be very persistent- the goal is not to try to please the inner critic, as it will never be satisfied. No matter how well we perform, it will always find flaws. The key is to not to play the game that the inner critic sets up for us.

Reflection can help us better understand our inner critic. Consider these questions:

• What system of rules does your inner critic impose on your life?
• What agenda does your inner critic have for you?
• In what situations does your inner critic appear? This might occur when engaging in specific activities, facing criticism, being in the spotlight, experiencing stress, interacting with certain people, or during particular times of day or night.
• What judgments and criticisms did you receive as a child, especially from caregivers?
• What "what will people think" statements does your inner critic use?

When we look beneath the critical voice, we discover the fears that drive it: fear of failure, inadequacy, or abandonment. As we acknowledge these vulnerabilities, the inner critic gradually transforms. It becomes less harsh and changes into more of an objective guide, which can offer us discernment and focus. This shift can significantly enhance our creative process, making it more enjoyable and freeing us to engage more courageously with our creative work.

Ultimately, whether we give our power to the inner critic or choose to reclaim it is within our control. By listening, understanding, and responding with compassion, we can soften its voice and nurture a more supportive inner dialogue, especially when it comes to creative expression.