How to Crush the Inner Critic, Get Over Perfectionism, and Get Out of Your Own Way So You Can Create Your Best Work

I’m trying something new on this special episode! I want to tackle some of the common questions that I get from many of my listeners and fellow artists like you. On this episode, we will cover mindset mastery and how understanding and exploring your mindset can help you succeed and thrive as an artist. I also touch on an important topic, battling the inner critic as well as the significance of scheduling the important things in your life including downtime and studio time. I’m excited to share all of this with you and I look forward to hearing your feedback!

Why mindset is so important.

Did you know that your mindset impacts everything in your life? It’s true! It affects how you see your paintings, how you manage your career, your family life, the list goes on and on. What steps can you take to actively engage and direct your mindset so you can grow and thrive as an artist? The first step is becoming aware of the current state of your mindset, are you in a good place producing good results or have you taken a bit of a nosedive lately? Once you recognize what state your mindset is in and the tendencies you lean toward, you empower yourself! I hope you get a lot of value out of this framing of mindset mastery, I truly believe it can transform the way you work and create as an artist.

Keeping a schedule can be a game-changer!

What has your relationship with your calendar been like? Are you on good terms or is it in need of some rehabilitation? While most people don’t fit into that stereotypical “Type A” personality, even the most unstructured individuals among us would benefit from the use of a schedule or calendar. This simple shift can help organize and prioritize the most important things we want to dedicate our time to. It’s been said that what you put your attention on becomes important. Based on how you spend your time, what are the most important things in your life right now? Do you want to make a change and shift your time to something else? Schedule it! I’m not saying that it’s easy by any stretch and I’m happy to share my struggles, but I’ve learned the hard way that keeping a schedule can be a game-changer for your creativity and productivity.

Don’t let that inner critic hijack your life.

The first thing you need to know about your inner critic is that you aren’t alone! As I’ve talked to and interviewed many artists over the years, one thing is constant, we all struggle with pushing back the voice of our inner critic. Don’t fall for the lies that your inner critic likes to pedal! Here are three helpful starring places to minimize the influence of your inner critic. One, hold on to the truth that you aren’t alone, these negative or critical thoughts happen to every artist, this helps to break it’s isolating power. Two, you can choose to ignore your inner critic, you have that power. Three, you can opt for defeating it with humor, laugh at it, go ahead what is it going to hurt? Some artists have found this approach to be really effective! Find what works for you and consider taking the step to discuss it with your fellow artists, this can help break it’s power too.

Make sure to be strategic about your focus.

If you are looking to make a change in your mindset and your general approach to life as an artist, consider how you can be strategic about your focus. This goes back to what we talked about with scheduling, what you put your attention on becomes important. Don’t put it off and think that you’ll make changes down the road, now is the time! As an artist, you know that where you put your focus can significantly change the way you view your subject. Take the time to consider and implement some of these concepts, your career and your life is worth the investment! I’d also love to hear about what strategies and practices have helped you find focus, get in the right mindset, and battle your inner critic.

Outline of This Episode

[0:05] I introduce this special episode tackling some of your questions.
[1:00] Mindset impacts everything!
[2:10] How do you carve out time for painting between life with kids, a partner, and everything in between?
[4:15] I share a personal story of how I struggled to find enough time to paint.
[10:00] Why it’s important to schedule your time, especially downtime!
[14:00] What you put your attention on becomes important.
[17:00] Be aware of what is going on inside of your head!
[19:00] How you can start fighting against the inner critic.
[24:00] Why you should be strategic about your focus.
[28:30] Mastering your mindset is about being present.

Other artists mentioned in this episode

If you’re interested in learning more about Mindset Mastery, sign up for the workshops email list:

www.savvypainter.com/workshops