4 Ways to Capitalize on Being Your Own Worst Critic

I meet a lot of highly successful people with a chip on their shoulders. One of the ways many of them have gotten to the top has been by being their own worst critic. Critical thinking goes hand in hand with intelligence, and it would be silly not to use your intelligence to your advantage to create a more successful version of yourself.

However, if you’re not careful, self-criticism can quickly become counterproductive. I used to spend quite a bit of time fighting my inner critic and feeling frustrated when I was being hard on myself. I wasted a lot of energy willing my inner critic to go away before I realized being your own worst critic can be extremely valuable.

Instead of thinking about it as your worst critic, what about being your own best critic? In the end, it’s a similar state of mind, but it’s a whole lot more productive. Here’s what you need to know to use self-criticism constructively as a tool to become the best version of yourself.

1. Accept your inner critic

In today’s world, we often talk about self-compassion, acceptance and forgiveness. These are important ideals, but they don’t have to be mutually exclusive with being critical. Your self-critic can exist alongside self-love and care.