Your Inner Critic Is Not Yours, It Was Programmed to Keep You Small

Your Inner Critic Is Not Yours, It Was Programmed to Keep You Small

From Enough Already! by Mo Faul

May 5, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

The episode discusses how the inner critic, or 'gremlin', affects women's potential and offers strategies to overcome it.

In this episode of the Enough Already Women Rise podcast, I talk about the inner critic, the "gremlin" that keeps women small and holds them back from realizing their full potential. I share a powerful story about Christine, a woman who, despite being successful, had been unknowingly carrying someone else's critical voice, leading to burnout and self-doubt. I explain how identifying and naming the source of this critical voice is the first step in reclaiming your power and taking control of your narrative. The episode offers a framework for confronting the gremlin, evaluating its impact, and replacing it with empowering self-affirmations. Key Takeaways: The "gremlin" is an internalized voice, not your own, that tells you you're not good enough or that you should stay small. Identifying whose voice it is allows you to take back your power and remove the gremlin's influence on your life. The gremlin doesn't provide accurate or helpful guidance; it's based on outdated beliefs and fears from others. Giving the gremlin a "performance review" helps you evaluate its impact and determine that it has never actually moved you forward. Swatting away the gremlin and replacing its narrative…

People in this episode

Host: Mo Faul

Topics covered

  • inner critic
  • self-doubt
  • empowerment
  • personal growth
  • women's issues

Keywords

  • inner critic
  • gremlin
  • self-affirmations
  • burnout
  • self-doubt
  • empowerment
  • personal narrative

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