Page 1 Banish Your Inner Critic
to Unleash Creativity
Page 2 Denise R. Jacobs edUI Conference w Charlottesville, VA w 9 November 2015
Page 3 @denisejacobs #edUiConf @eduiconf
#banishyourcritic
Page 4 Want the slides? Go here:
Creativedo.se/eduiconf-ic
Page 5 Photo by Derek Kearney
Wait…What?!
Page 6 Founder + CEO, The Creative Dose http://TheCreativeDose.com/
Page 7 Upon a time… http://www.behance.net/gallery/Once-Upon-a-Time/2918365
Page 8 29 June http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblndl/3154255478/
Page 9 I was going to be a writer! Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 10 Instead of creativity Photo from Flickr.com
Page 11 Destructivity http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/
Page 12 The voices in my head were merciless http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/
Page 13 I totally freaked out
Page 14 I shouldn't be writing this I misrepresented myself
I don't know enough This should be someone else’s book
I’m going to look stupid Everyone will see that I’m a fake What if it's not good enough? What if I'm not good enough?
No…really!
Page 15 2 days http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiery-phoenix/8428079916/
Page 16 Worked non-stop https://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/5827849044/
Page 17 Pushed myself to burn-out http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4052943367/
Page 18 My internal critical voices http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/
Page 19 Made this happen
https://www.flickr.com/photos/70938871@N05/8230432077
Page 20 Physical evidence of fear http://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpyfeline/4626401443/
Page 21 A different kind of fear Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 22 Internalized criticisms + fears
https://www.flickr.com/photos/remoto/5313967682
Page 23 = The Inner Critic https://www.flickr.com/photos/acerriteno/3484093889/
Page 24 F.E.A.R. =
http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg
Page 25 Or…
https://twitter.com/Phishtitz/status/474661495935365120
Page 26 YES! (…and…) https://www.flickr.com/photos/willsan/3780293130
Page 27 The enemy of creativity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardwinchell/130344669/
Page 28 Stress & frustration
https://www.flickr.com/photos/corneveaux/3248566797/
Page 29 Suppress generative impulses in the brain
https://www.flickr.com/photos/birthintobeing/11841180046
Page 30 Thoughts = h!ps://www.flickr.com/photos/57375589@N05/9046508025/
Page 31 Electrical impulses = http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neuron-matrix.png
Page 32 = Brainwaves! http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg
Page 33 Know your brainwaves
Page 34 Blocks creative expression http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/
Page 35 “The parts of your brain that are responsible for self-monitoring are literally turned off during creative endeavors….Creative people have mastered the art of turning off [the inhibitive] part of their brains to let their ideas flow more smoothly, unleashing their imagination.” - Tina Seelig, InGenius
Page 36 How to ID your Inner Critic http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/
Page 37 Listen for internal critical talk http://brenebrown.com/2014/04/08/daring-interview-series-meet-gavin-aung/
Page 38 “OMG, I’m SO busy!”
Page 39 “I should have done more by now…” http://www.flickr.com/photos/kharied/3315558702/
Page 40 “They’ll find out I’m a fraud”
Page 41 vs. “NAILED IT!” https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-drummond/3946893897
Page 42 “I don’t know enough”
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Einstein_1921_by_F_Schmutzer.jpg
Page 43 “It needs to be FLAWLESS” http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/
Page 44 “I’ll do it tomorrow…”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
Page 45 “Really, I’ll do it tomorrow.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
Page 46 “I will do it tomorrow!”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
Page 48 Afflicts ALL of us!
http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/jimmy-fallon-the-unsinkable-legend-part-2 (@ 8:15)
Page 49 “…I don’t have what these people want to see – they want to see a funny guy! That’s not me.” - Jerry Seinfeld, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
https://www.flickr.com/photos/97477873@N00/13016287284/
Page 50 *Everyone* has these thoughts
https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/5788826472/
Page 51 https://www.flickr.com/photos/dhinson/1290445055/
Instructions: 1) Write down one fear around your creativity 2) Crumple paper into ball Then…
Page 52 3) Throw across the room! http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1-baSAE8ZI/VDM3BbuiaFI/AAAAAAAABKk/l91FBGvSgkA/s1600/IMAGE_437.jpg
Page 53 Sound familiar? Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 54 You’re not the only one https://www.flickr.com/photos/17843347@N05/4610644207/
Page 55 In order to unleash http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/
Page 56 We need brain management https://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronica/13994747444
Page 57 https://www.flickr.com/photos/nrbelex/2247397943/
“You must be unintimidated by your own thoughts because if you [try to create] with someone looking over your shoulder, you'll never [create].” – Nikki Giovanni
Page 58 “The goal is to manage anxiety so that our energies are used for the productive and satisfying art of creating…
Page 59 …rather than the destructive and debilitating art of self-torture. “ - Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution
Page 60 How do we…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/5445602998/
Page 61 Banish the Inner Critic? https://www.flickr.com/photos/31505964@N08/4691019168/
Page 62 You can’t outrun the voices http://www.flickr.com/photos/wester/504925076/
Page 63 Eliminate “Have to/Should/Must/Ought”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mythoto/3822942678/
Page 64 Replace with “I choose/ I decide/ I will” https://www.flickr.com/photos/mstry-2525-gst/3312199285/
Page 65 Say NO to Comparisons http://www.flickr.com/photos/suvodeb/2559017400/
Page 66 You & what you produce is unique
Page 67 “You cannot compare your insides to someone else’s outsides.”
Page 68 Establish boundaries https://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisawakeupcall/5595296868/
Page 69 (Btw, this your new mantra…) http://www.spunkysapphire.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/photo-1-e1406074730116.jpg
Page 70 Beat Impostor Syndrome
Page 71 Impostor Syndrome Paradox
http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/
Page 72 You will only experience impostor syndrome when you are competent and skilled.
(re-read this as many times as necessary.)
Page 73 Ask it questions http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749432145/
Page 74 Be compassionate http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/2646295354/
Page 75 Reassign duty
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shavawnmarie/1326123397/
Page 77 “Our bodies change our minds, our minds change our behavior, and our behavior changes our outcomes.” - Amy Cuddy, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are” TED talk
Page 79 Perfectionism http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/
Page 80 “Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.” ― Anne Wilson Schaef
Page 81 The real problem
http://cuttingthecheese.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/26810560251953842_ede18tng_f.jpg
Page 82 Perfectionists focus on the finished product…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phatcontroller/3667889959/
Page 83 Rather than the process http://www.flickr.com/photos/spyndle/474122586/
Page 84 “The Best” vs “The most” https://www.flickr.com/photos/villify/10871945326
Page 85 Clear the pipes: Morning Pages https://www.flickr.com/photos/juliejordanscott/4970674253//
Page 86 Be bad/make it ugly https://www.flickr.com/photos/kpwerker/6051104684
Page 87 Embrace the “SFD” Twitter, circa 2006
Page 88 Satisfice https://www.flickr.com/photos/sleepyvalley/3650673328
Page 89 Amen! https://twitter.com/dickelippe/status/581204005013078016/photo/1
Page 90 Fear of being judged? https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdlasica/12825451433/
Page 91 Remember egocentricity
Page 92 Reframe fear of failure http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717325940/
Page 93 http://culturecatch.com/files/images/after-earth.jpg
“Fear is not real. It is a product of the
thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand
me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.”
- character of Cypher Raige, After Earth
Page 94 Embrace failure and mistakez https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4498817330/
Page 95 “Being right keeps us in place. Being wrong forces us to explore.” – Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From
Page 96 Copy the #fail masters Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 97 http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959864706/
Take steps, #FAIL; Go again!
Page 98 “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” - Henry Ford
Page 99 Decouple performance from identity https://www.flickr.com/photos/krissen/6824608878
Page 100 Perfection ≠ Excellence
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaldoche/4771465356
Page 101 “Don’t let perfect become the enemy of good.” – Voltaire
Page 102 Procrastination
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
Page 103 The trick is not self-identifying… http://20px.com/blog/2013/09/06/a-field-guide-to-procrastinators/
Page 104 Nor administering a dose of
https://www.flickr.com/photos/116357579@N08/13178367583
Page 105 Procrastinators are NOT lazy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/code_martial/4145914957
Page 106 The unknown can be paralyzing
http://hub.salford.ac.uk/energymonitoring/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2012/01/known-knowns1.jpg
Page 107 Pro tip: Reframe the unknown http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonmelsa/3000222387/
Page 108 Increase the meaning/value http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyeliam/2460475510/
Page 109 Mind Tricks https://www.flickr.com/photos/32135758@N02/5325454434/
Page 110 Don’t do it, just get ready to Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 111 “Structured procrastination” https://www.flickr.com/photos/superamit/1043379069
Page 112 Time & Space Tricks http://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/
Page 113 Eliminate distractions
From “Shit Black Girls Say”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXDpfhehb6I
Page 115 Browser Extensions Google Chrome: Strict Workflow StayFocusd Website Blocker
Browser Extensions Firefox: LeechBlock Idderall Tools RescueTime.com HeyFocus.com
Aids for digital blocking
Page 116 Added bonus HeyFocus.com
Page 117 Airplane/Do Not Disturb mode
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieterouwerkerk/699475144/
Page 118 Make it a Sprint
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/4975166968/
Page 119 Fill a Quota
https://www.flickr.com/photos/teosaurio/3392883329/
Page 120 Remember this Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 121 My story’s end? http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonialuna/2942020058/
Page 122 February http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/3709856898/
Page 123 #FAIL https://www.flickr.com/photos/dafnecholet/5374200948
Page 124 #WINNING! http://www.flickr.com/photos/clappstar/6297835482/
Page 125 I wrote my first book! Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 126 https://www.flickr.com/photos/thatconference/9532425040/
Which created AMAZING things for me
Page 127 Disturbing dreams https://www.flickr.com/photos/agroffman/4613265988
Page 128 My own inner creative child Photo: Deloria Jacobs
Page 129 Always reaching for perfection Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 130 “The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday—but never jam to-day.”
“It MUST come sometimes to ‘jam to-day’,” Alice objected.
“No, it can’t,” said the Queen. “It’s jam every OTHER day: to-day isn’t any OTHER day, you know.”
— from Through the Looking Glass & What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll
Page 131 “Jam” = Reward / Satisfaction https://www.flickr.com/photos/macati/2180421766
Page 132 YOU NEVER GET JAM http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/alicepic/through-the-looking-glass/2book42.jpg
Page 133 By sharing my experience Photo: Deloria Jacobs
Page 134 Show you there is an alternative https://www.flickr.com/photos/buttersponge/4955768144
Page 135 https://www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/9220121158/
“The creative adult is the child who survived after the world tried killing them, making them ‘grown up’….
Page 136 …The creative adult is the child who survived the blandness of schooling, the unhelpful words of bad teachers, and the nay-saying ways of the world.” – Ursula K. L Guin
https://www.flickr.com/photos/theburiedlife/2167001643/
Page 137 By understanding this truth
Page 138 You’ll look at yourself differently https://www.flickr.com/photos/edenpictures/3460562429
Page 139 Unleash your creativity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcymet/3564484236/
Page 140 Because, after all…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aoberg/9652158212
Page 141 The End Photo: Denise Jacobs
Page 142 THE CREATIVE DOSE A Creativity + Innovation Collective
Work Better. Create More. Create Betterness.
Creative Thinking & Problem-solving Applying an Innovation Mindset
Creative Collaboration Team Communication & Cohesion
TheCreativeDose.com @thecreativedose
Page 143 My upcoming book! Banish Your Inner Critic
DeniseJacobs.com/InnerCritic
26 Effective Techniques for Unleashing Productive Creativity
Page 144 Want the slides? Go here:
Creativedo.se/eduiconf-ic
Page 145 DeniseJacobs.com à Sign up on my mailing list!
denise@denisejacobs.com
twitter.com/denisejacobs
facebook.com/denisejacobsdotcom
slideshare.net/denisejacobs
Connect! + Collaborate!
Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/
Page 146 And finally…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27620885@N02/2609974180/