Turn Up the Volume

Every time you write something, it says, “That’s boring,” or, “No one is going to like that."

Each time you build that thing, it says, “Those edges don’t come together well enough,” or, “It looks a little sloppy.”

Every time you stretch yourself, put yourself out there, take a risk, it says, “Don’t waste your time,” or, “It’s not worth it.”

Each time you paint that picture or throw clay or get out the sewing machine, it says, “It won’t look good,” or, “You’re not creative enough.”

Every time you type out that idea or scribble down notes about that venture, it says, “Who would buy that?” or, “That’s a dumb idea.”

That voice! You know, the one that can stop you dead in your creative tracks. Yeah, that one. Turn up the volume on it. Name it. Write down its exact words. Twice. Three times.

That voice likes to stay out of view, whispering daggers from the shadows. It’s your inner critic, and it likes to be heard but not seen.

Bring it to the light. Make it heard. Let it know that you know what it’s saying and if it’s worth saying then it’s worth saying loudly.

Become so familiar with it that it eventually becomes meaningless chatter, white noise, nothing but wind through the branches.

I say, turn up the volume on it.