Last week, we talked about handling external criticism.

But as creatives, we have a bigger fight. An internal one. After all, we are our own biggest critics.

There's no clear blueprint on how to deal with our inner critic — that voice in our heads that says we're not enough, not ready, not worthy.

I used to think the best skill any creative could learn was silencing that damn voice.

I was wrong.

After years of trying to silence this monster, I realized it rarely works. Worse, every time I'd fail to quiet that voice, I felt ashamed for being so self-critical in the first place — sending me into a shame spiral.

Turns out I didn't need to learn to silence it. I needed to learn when to let it into my creative process.

The problem wasn't the critic. It was the timing.

Here's what I mean:

You're writing the first draft of something important — an article, an essay, a short story. You're three sentences in when that little fucking voice interrupts: "This is trash. Start over." So you delete everything and begin again. And again. Two hours later, you have nothing but a blinking cursor, a blank page, and a blinding frustration.

Sound familiar? I've been there more times than I care to admit. I know that place better than I know my own neighborhood.

The creative process has — give or take — five stages:

Your inner critic has no business in the first four stages. Stages 1-4 are all about making a mess, exploring possibilities, and following creative impulses without judgment. They require psychological safety to let ideas flow and evolve freely. The moment your critic shows up during these stages, it's like having a micromanaging asshole breathing down your neck while you're still figuring out what you want to say.

The fifth stage, however, is where your inner critic shines. It's where you put the finishing touches, shape your vision, and get it ready for the world. This is when that critical voice becomes your ally, helping you polish, clarify, and enhance your message.

The problem is most creatives — me included — let their inner critic in way too early, letting it get in the way too soon, and fucking up the whole vibe.

We give the mic to our inner critic too early in the process — before it's earned its time on stage — leading to the infamous creative block.

Most creative advice tells you to "ignore the haters." But what happens when your biggest hater lives inside your head and knows all your weaknesses?

When you catch your critic showing up early, acknowledge it and redirect it: "Thanks for caring about quality, but I'm still exploring. I’m still playing and having fun. I'll hit you up when I need you, hoe."

The trick is to know when to let it speak, and more importantly, when to listen to it.

There's a time to create, and there's a time to criticize. They don't have to happen simultaneously.

They can't.

This week, try this: pick one creative project and consciously keep your critic out of stages 1-4. Notice what happens when you give yourself permission to make a mess.

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Shoutout to my good friend, colleague, and hip-hop head, Aleah, who put me on “CLOVER” by IDK, Joey Valance & Brae. The production is sick. The delivery is sick. And the track is undeniably fun as fuck with some serious 90’s flavor.

If you’re like me, and feel like hip-hop is dying, this song is a breath of fresh air (and maybe luck? 🍀).

Give it a listen 👇🏽

Got a song on repeat?
Send it my way.
If I feature it, you get some love in a future issue.

You fucking legend.

As a former public school teacher, this article broke my heart. As an adult who’s constantly battling phone addiction, it gave me lots to think about.

Love,

Santi