My inner critic is an asshole.

She's really loud, really mean, and like a wad of gum in your hair - really hard to get rid of.

Whether I'm at work, a social event, or just brushing my teeth alone in the bathroom, she's yapping away like a feral Chihuahua, telling me I'm not smart enough, not good-looking enough, not funny enough, and not cool enough.

And, of course, I take every word as gospel. I'm not sure who died and made her the queen of everything, but for some reason, I can't help listening, and changing my attitude accordingly.

Because I agree with her, maybe?

Yeah, that’s it. She’s only amplifying what I’m already thinking. A little whisper becomes a shout.

You’re not good enough. You’re not good enough. You’re not good enough. 

I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s ‘not good enough’. It’s a pretty common ‘self-thought’; one that’s deeply ingrained in our heads, quick to quip the moment we dare to step outside our comfort zone, into a new challenge, a new relationship or even as we prepare to share our opinion at a company meeting, or just during dinner with friends.

Sure, you don’t want to get rejected, or embarrass yourself, but is that voice in your head really helping you save face, or is it holding you back from what you’re really capable of?

Last week, I had an idea. The more I thought about it, the more the pieces clicked into place, and I started to get really excited about how awesome it would be if I could pull it off. Could I really pull it off?

No, was the immediate reply. You can’t, because you’re not good enough.

You’re right, I thought. Even though I have all the experience, skills and passion about the idea to make it work…

Wait. Who says I’m not good enough to do this? What standards am I trying to live up to here? What is good, and how can I be sure everyone else is working by the same score sheet?

And how can I ever know what I’m capable of if I don’t even try? 

I have every right to follow my dreams. I deserve success as much as anyone else, and if I am good enough for me, I can achieve whatever I set out to do.

That’s what’s playing in my head now. Whether that asshole likes it or not.