Kill your (inner) critic

We’re jumping into 2014 with a fresh start and dropping all that nasty baggage.

Except for you or them, the critic. You know who she is — she’s the internal voice. The critic that follows us around wherever we go. It doesn’t like the choices we make or the direction we’re heading in. Creeping around the corner at every pivot of our business or design mockup we spend hours putting together.

Soon, the critic starts to convince us they are right. We want to give up — what’s the point right?

• They’re right, I’ll never make this work.
• This is too hard, I should just go back to the couch.
• Ugh, this sucks!

Kill the (inner) critic.

Everyone is a critic

Me, you and them.

Remember when Yahoo! launched a new logo campaign? I didn’t think their new logo was a big departure from the old, but critics around the world hated it.

Many of you might be launching your new brand this month and getting the evil eye from that inner critic. If you are, you should talk to Chris Ford, who recently helped Rob rebrand his company. The point is, you need to recognize that this is the first phase of change.

How did it go for Yahoo!?

Look at that…growth!

They didn’t wallow around in people’s criticism over the logo. I’d go as far as to say the logo wasn’t for their customers, but to mark an internal milestone. Making a statement to their team that it was time for change.

Step 2 on the way to making an impact, will come in the form of commitment. How committed are you to this new change and will you achieve what you set out to do?

Tell us how you deal with critics in the comments below. Think a friend should read this? Share it on Twitter.