The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

The inner critic is a voice that sits in the back of your head and inhibits your impulses. In real life, this can be a good thing because it keeps you within the good graces of polite society. But when you play, the inner critic’s feedback isn’t nearly as helpful. It blocks your brain, locks your body, and offers up advice like, “That’s a stupid idea.”

Act on the impulse – The best way to deal with the inner critic is to ignore it. If an impulse shows up that the critic judges as “bad,” do it anyway. This might seem counter-intuitive when you’re striving to do good work. It helps to recognize that the inner-critic’s judgment is flawed. It operates from a base of fear which inhibits flow. When the inner critic tries to keep you from acting on impulse, do it anyway.

Dare to be simple and obvious – When impulses show up, the inner critic may try to preempt them because they’re not clever or creative enough. Again, that’s fear-based judgment. There’s nothing wrong with simple or obvious impulses. They’re a part of the momentum of flow. On the other hand, dismissing an impulse takes you nowhere. Allow simple and obvious. Ignore the critic and act on the impulse.

Hold the silence – When nobody’s speaking, the critic may offer up equally bad advice, and tell you to “Say something!” If you speak to fill the silence. it will likely produce mediocre results. Hold the silence. Stay relaxed, present, and receptive. Wait for an impulse to show up, and when it does, act on it. What if an impulse doesn’t show up? It will. You just have to be patient.

The way to deal with the inner critic is simple—Ignore it. Wait patiently for impulses and act on them when they arise. It’s better than being controlled by a frightened little voice in the back of your head.