Calming the Inner Critic and Getting to Work -Allegra Goodman

Goodman's article "Calming the Inner Critic and Getting to Work" is very thought provoking and I was actually quite impressed with the whole idea. As I read through the article I had two main thoughts. The first was about my past experience with “the inner critic,” and being a Mechanical Engineer and naturally a problem solver, the second was how to conquer the inner critic. When I have wrote papers in the past I had always felt the presence of "the inner critic." I wasn't fully aware of it, and I certainly never gave thought to it in the detail that Goodman describes. I may not have been concerned with becoming a famous author, but I was concerned with my papers appeal to the audience and how I was communicating my ideas to them. As Goodman talks about, the inner critic only slows you down and causes you to second guess yourself, and really the only way to conquer it is to be confident in yourself and let your ideas be natural and flow. Whether it is a certain environment or a daily routine the author must not try to force their ideas out but rather let them come naturally. I believe this concept will help me greatly in this class due to the fact that I often would try to force my ideas, where now I know I can relax and do the best to communicate to the audience as I truly feel with no filter.

            The idea of the inner critic is something that could be discussed in all sorts of detail and could be shown throughout all of history. The inner critic is what inspires us to be great and allows us to strive towards our full potential, while at the same time it holds us back and causes us to be self-conscious about our thoughts and ideas. The great writers throughout the centuries dealt with it as must we. I believe every writer is a genius, but what makes a writer great is his ability to conquer the inner critique and express his thoughts without fear. I believe each individual has the ability to create fascinating stories in their mind, stories with such detail and imagination that the best writers throughout history would be impressed, but what separates those writers is simply their ability to overcome the “inner critic.” I think it is simply a state of mind that comes with experience and confidence in ones ability to express their thoughts. Like anything it takes practice and lots of it; however some are naturally born with the ability. What is most important is the writers confidence in what they are writing about, and I believe that goes back to what Goodman said about performing your daily routines and letting your ideas flow.