You’ve heard it before. It’s that inner voice that seems to pop up in your head just in time to throw you off your game. Maybe it happens when you stand over your first tee shot or when staring at a 3-foot downhill birdie putt. Maybe it happens when you’re going for a par 5 in two over water. We’ve all heard this inner intruder and we’ve all been influenced by it. What is this invisible voice and where does it come from?

It’s very distracting and it causes you to lose energy, focus and confidence.

Who is this critic and who invited him or her to the party? The inner critic is a part of all of us and it doesn’t need an invitation to be heard. “That wasn’t good enough”, “This won’t work”, “You can’t hit that shot”, “Yes, the ball went where you wanted it to but that swing was lousy”, “John’s using a 7-iron and you’re using a 5-iron…you’re kidding me!” and on and on the critic goes.

The word “critic” is defined as: (derived from the ancient Greek word krites meaning a judge) a person who offers a value judgment or an interpretation.

Self-criticism often turns into a personal attack and when it gets personal it can negatively influence your game.

Here are 4 things to consider so you can quiet the critic inside you:

1. It’s a recording –The critic inside you is nothing more than a recording that’s been played and replayed over time. Imagine your brain as having VCR capabilities. It’s been recording this “critical tape’ time and time again and it plays automatically.

2. It’s only 1 part—The “inner critic” is only one part of you; it’s not ALL of you! If it’s the loudest part of you, it’s only because you’ve paid more attention to it. Five cloudy days doesn’t mean the sun isn’t in the sky anymore does it?

3. Talk Back!—Who says your inner critic is the definitive expert on anything? It’s not! Once you see it for what it is you can TALK BACK to it. What about what you ARE doing well? What about what you ARE CAPABLE OF? Focus on these and you won’t have to battle with your inner critic.

4. It’s NOT Personal!—Watch your inner dialogue. Be wary of the word “I” as in, “I’m no good”, “I’m an idiot!” These comments are taken personally and when it gets personal; it gets harder to change! Change the word “I” to the word “That”. The statement now becomes “That was a bad shot” or “That was a poor decision”. This removes your words from being too personal.

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David Breslow is a national speaker, author and Performance Consultant. His book, “Wired To Win” is available at 888.280.7715. His clients include professional athletes (PGA, LPGA, other sports) as well as Business and the Private Sector. He brings a fresh, direct, no-nonsense revolutionary approach to unleashing Human Performance helping people make quicker and more powerful shifts in attitude, behavior and action. His articles are read by over 400,000 people per month on The Golf Channel website and David frequently speaks to organizations of all sizes who want to create real shifts in how people, think, feel and perform every day. For more info on the Interactive Video Training Course, One on One consultation, E-Books and Presentations; please visit: www.theflowzone.net, email: david@theflowzone.net or call: 847.681.0247