Have you got a voice inside your head, telling you that you’re not right for the job; you don’t have the skills; somebody else would do far better, and that you’re terrible at this? Today we sit with Denise R. Jacobs who tells us why this voice is real and more importantly, why it’s wrong about you. As a speaker, author, and creativity evangelist who speaks at conferences and consults with companies around the world, we open the show by exploring Denise’s professional background. We then chat about the inspirations behind her new book Banish Your Inner Critic. Denise explains that she was in a constant battle with a critical voice in her head, which told her she was a fraud and too inexperienced to write with authority. Stay tuned, and you’ll hear how that all changed for her, and how Denise managed to come to grips with negative self-talk. Deeper into the episode, we discuss the importance of creativity, what true genius is, and how successful companies are often the most creative, irrespective of their line of work. Together, we also discover the value of the inner critic, understand where it comes from, and why it’s impossible to rid it from your mind forever. Throughout the episode, Denise walks us through science-backed exercises designed to ease anxiety and tame your inner critic. These are techniques that you can do on your own, every day, and with ease. Be sure to tune in with us for this insightful and reassuring episode.   Key Points From This Episode: Introducing today’s guest, Denise R. Jacobs. Hear about Denise’s inspiration for writing Banish Your Inner Critic. How Denise grappled with self-doubt while writing her first book. What led Denise to realize that she was capable of more than she gave herself credit for. When Denise decided that she really wanted to be teaching people. Denise tells us why creativity is so important. How creativity can help companies solve problems. Where the inner critic came from and why it can be useful. How your inner critic lives in a part of your brain responsible for implicit memory. Exercises you can do to get in touch with your inner critic and understand it. Find out how the pandemic should be approached from a mental health point of view. Denise gives us a practical lesson on how to manage anxiety. Hear about how you can use something called a ‘swipe file.’ How Denise’s techniques are backed by science. Why the goal isn’t to completely rid yourself of your inner critic.   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  Denise Jacobs — https://denisejacobs.com/ Denise Jacobs on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniserjacobs/ Denise Jacobs on Twitter — https://twitter.com/denisejacobs Brené Brown — https://brenebrown.com/ The Creative Dose — https://thecreativedose.com/ Banish Your Inner Critic on Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/Banish-Your-Inner-Critic-Self-Doubt/dp/1633534715 Creativity Revolution on Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Revolution-Reinvent-Creative-Prosper-ebook/dp/B00D7MQ2PU Rawk The Web — https://rawktheweb.com/ CSS Detective Guide on Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/CSS-Detective-Guide-solving-mysteries/dp/0321683943