We all have been in a similar situation, haven’t we? The closer we get to a deadline, the more susceptible we are to the little distractions of everyday life or to the grave doubts about everything we have achieved in this current project so far. Denise Jacobs, web design trainer and author of The CSS Detective Guide, has now unmasked the culprit for this behaviour: that’s our innate inner critic who is constantly tearing to shreds even the most brilliant ideas. Even worse: by riling up our perfectionism, diminishing our confidence and igniting agonizing doubts, it quells each and every creative spark.

But there is hope, now that we have got the gist of the matter: ‘Often the inner critic is the ego’s way of internalizing the voices of authority figures: parents, teachers, coaches, and well-meaning peers.‘ And even though the good advice has its source in the best of intentions, sometimes it is essential to cut one’s teeth. Think back! Have all the good advice from your childhood days turned out to be the only saving and practicable way? After all, your own decisions have got you to the point in life where you are now. Consequently, they can’t have been that bad, right?

Another measure to hush up your inner critic at least throughout the creative process of generating ideas is to challenge it to do some problem-solving. ‘What is it that I feel so uncomfortable about with this idea? How can I solve this problem?’ Or shift the focus by putting yourself in the shoes of the client you are doing this project for. That way you deprive your inner critic of its target – after all the focus is not on you anymore. And as a pleasant side effect you are venturing out to new terrain and break the mould instead of holding fast to entrenched habits.

 
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