Do you have an inner critic?
I know I do.
You know, a voice that tells you you can’t do something or can’t learn something?
Does that voice tell you that constitutional law is too complicated to master?
Does it try to convince you that you cannot pass the bar exam?
This post gives you an amazing exercise that helps you ignore that voice and keep it from getting in the way of your success.
(Note that while this post is geared for people studying for the bar exam, this technique will work for anyone who suffers from their own inner-critic or negative self-talk.)
In order to learn to ignore your negative inner voice, you need to do a little experiment. You need to change the way the voice sounds and/or where it is located. Make each change individually, and decide which one or two changes work best to convert your inner critic into something you no longer need to take seriously. Then, apply to the voice.
Changing Your Inner-Critic
Begin by listening to your inner critic; let it say something nasty.
First, ask yourself, where is the voice located? This means, does it seem to be squarely in the center of your mind, sitting on a shoulder, or maybe speaking to you from somewhere outside of your body.
Second, determine your inner critic’s normal speaking voice. Is it loud, insistent, annoying, male, female, etc.
Now that you are able to describe your inner critic, begin making changes.
First, change the location.
What happens to the power of the critical voice when it suddenly starts speaking to you from your right baby toe? What about if it speaks from the palm of your hand? What if it is sitting next to you when it speaks?
Try a bunch of locations, and pick the location that makes it easiest to ignore the voice.
Now, return the voice to its default location and sound.
Next, keep the voice in its default location, but change how it sounds. Give it a high-pitched voice, a child’s voice, a deep voice. Give it the voice of a monster. Give it the voice of an angel. Make it louder, make it quieter.
Decide which of these changes makes it easiest to ignore the voice.
Finally, combine the two best modifications. So, for example, maybe you find it easiest to ignore your negative self-talk when it comes from your pinkie finger using a monster voice.
Personally, I just laugh at my own negative inner voice when it speaks to me from its home in the fingernail of my left thumb after sucking down helium. (Imagine a little angry face on the fingernail.)
This is a weird exercise, but it gets very powerful and very rapid results.
Try it out and let me know how it goes.
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PS — I first learned about this exercise from Episode 20 of the Practical NLP Podcast.
P.S. -- Want a FREE copy of my Bar Exam Mind audiobook?
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