Being the Future: creativefacilitating.com Blog

Softening the Critic Effect

January 5th, 2010

Over the holidays, my family and I went to see “Young Frankenstein” the musical on stage at the Kennedy Center. I know, not a traditional holiday favorite, but my kids have been gown up for many years now and enjoy Mel Brooks’ style of humor as do I. We enjoyed the show. We laughed a lot. We were all glad we went.

This is not a plug for the play, but rather a comment on our experience vs. the experience I was afraid we would have once I started reading the reviews that came out after I bought the tickets. The best recommendation “The Washington Post” could give it was a definite maybe. The critics thought it wasn’t much of a musical. I was concerned.

In fact, had I acted more slowly, read the reviews, then decided whether to buy tickets, I might not have done it. And we would have missed a fun evening together. Ah, the power of critics. But the power is not inherent in them; we give them that power.

I have been thinking about my inner critic. How much power have I given that critic who thinks an idea of mine is not that valuable or a venture is not worth embarking on, maybe doomed to failure? It makes sense to make decisions about attending the theater by consulting several sources, balancing a critic’s quotes with what we know of the author or producer and what we know of our own enjoyments. It makes just as much sense to marshal some other sources and forces when the inner critic does its work. Giving in too easily to that voice is what we sometimes call a lack of courage.

In the motivational terms of Reversal Theory, it is helpful to equip oneself with the protective shield of past successes and focus on the present, on the process, one step at a time. Looking too far ahead can be daunting and allows us to conjure up negative pictures and anxiety.

My New Year’s gift to myself is a fresh perspective and awareness of possibilities that will help me balance my inner critic and take new steps, perhaps even be daring.

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