How CAN you stop the inner critic?

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Quiz Questions

1.
Say you’ve just sent out an email to everyone – and I mean ev-ery-one - on your list. You worked hard on this email. It’s amazing how much time and love you poured into it. And as you see your copy of it pop up in your own inbox, you see it...you shared the wrong link. How does your inner critic respond? (scroll down to see all four possible answers)
- A.
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  “Oh well. You tried. Email marketing is dead anyway so let’s just pretend this never happened and never send emails again. Netflix time?”
- B.
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  “You didn’t think to double check the friggin’ link?! Do they give awards for stupidity? If so, you’re a shoo-in..”
- C.
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  “Oh sh*******t! Everyone is going to try to click that link and all they’ll see is your failure to proofread. Amateur move, my friend. Prepare for an avalanche of unsubscribes.”
- D.
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  “Gah! You should have had at least three more people proofread it before you sent it out. Personally, I still think you shouldn’t be writing these emails yourself anyway. You got a B in Freshman English, remember? And we talked about how confusing MailChimp can be. No more sending emails until you test drive Aweber, ConvertKit, and Drip.”
2.
Imagine you’re finishing up a call with a potential client that you’re super excited about. Everything is going along beautifully and you’re getting excited about the possibility of working together. Now it’s time for you to make your offer - y’know, actually ask for money. The nerves kick in and your inner critic says...
- A.
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  “Pfft. She’s never going to actually pay you anyway. She doesn’t really need your help. Is getting rejected on your agenda today? I don’t think so – don’t even bother.”
- B.
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  “Aww, man. You never finished that e-course on how to make an irresistible offer so you’re gonna mess this up. So it’s probably better that you just not make the offer. You don’t want to do this wrong. Just finish the conversation politely and call her back another day after you have more practice.”
- C.
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  “She’s really nice. You are really connecting. So don’t worry about doing a sales pitch now. Instead, why don’t you turn her into a friend and wait and see what happens? She’ll totally throw money at you eventually...”
- D.
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  “Whoa, there. She’s probably thinking you’re coming on waaaay too strong. Stop being so salesy. GROSS! Well, no don’t be THAT soft. Now she’s thinking you’re not confident. Yeah, she’s never going to hire someone who’s salesy and weak at the same time.”
3.
Okay. You’ve decided to lean into that vulnerability all the social media gurus recommend and share that totally revealing personal story you dread via Facebook Live. As you get started, you see two of your clients, your bestie, a handful of complete strangers, and one of your old high school crushes are all watching your livestream. That inner critic leaps into action…
- A.
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  “You cannot be serious. Who do you think you are? Marie Forleo? Nobody cares about your story. BOOOOORING.”
- B.
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  “Oh honey. This is super intense...and you’ve already had quite a challenging week. Why don’t you let yourself off the hook? Ooh, just close the broadcast and blame technical difficulties. This just isn’t your thing.”
- C.
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  “Do you see who is here?!?! You can’t tell that story. Your clients will fire you. Your bestie will avoid you. And you’ll never be able to show your face at another high school reunion ever again. Shut up! Shut up now!”
- D.
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  “This seems very unprofessional. Is there any real evidence that being vulnerable helps grow your business? Also, is this the best way to livestream? You should look into better livestreaming gear. Go check Amazon.”
4.
You’re at another networking event looking to meet new people and get involved in your community. You’ve shaken dozens of hands and your pocket is filled with business cards and you’re feeling pretty damn good..right up until someone asks you about your qualifications. Instantly your inner critic chimes in...
- A.
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  “Crap! You just made a complete ass of yourself. She’s not going to be impressed with your resume. Nobody is going to think you’re good enough. Back away slowly and then RUN!”
- B.
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  “Yep. I told you this would happen. You’re not properly qualified. You’re a nobody. You don’t have enough experience. You really don’t know what you’re doing here and everyone is going to find out you’re a fraud.”
- C.
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  “Blegh. Qualifications? Seriously? You don’t have to tell her anything if you don’t want to...hey look - they have snacks! Let’s get a snack.”
- D.
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  “Hmm. Should you tell her about your undergrad degrees? Or does she want to hear about specific certifications? Is it compelling story time? I told you you should have paid that introductions and networking guru!”
5.
You’ve been toiling away in the batcave for months now building out your new signature program. Your sales page is gorgeous, marketing messages ready, and you’ve got a rockin’ launch plan that you’re really excited about...but you’re still hemming and hawing on what to charge. As you write down that big round number, you hear that familiar inner dialogue...
- A.
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  “Pricing is hard. You’ve already worked hard today. Let’s take a break. You deserve a break. Wednesdays are much better for money decisions.”
- B.
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  “You want to charge how much?! Are you out of your ever loving mind?!? You are not that good. You’re never going to sell this program. Just give up while you’re ahead.”
- C.
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  “What does your competition sell something similar for? Look at that number and cut yours down by like 20% - no! 40%! They’ve been at it longer so they are obviously better at it than you will be.”
- D.
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  “How does everyone else come up with a price? Maybe you should hire a negotiation specialist or an accountant?. Or maybe both. And definitely subscribe to more mailing lists while you’re at it.”
6.
You came. You saw. You launched! Your newest offer is finished and out in the world and you’re so stinkin’ proud of it. For a solid two weeks now, you’ve been shouting from the rooftops about this new offer to anyone who will listen…and crickets. No bites. Not even a nibble yet.
- A.
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  “You see?! I told you this would suck. Way to go, blockhead.”
- B.
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  “You should do what that other guru does. Your way isn’t going to work. Look at what so-and-so is doing instead. And what about that other coach? The one with the Amazon Bestseller?”
- C.
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  “Face it. You don’t know how to be a marketer. Quick - take the sales page down and start all over again.”
- D.
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  “Aww man. It’s okay. This entrepreneurship stuff is hard and you tried. Maybe you should quit while you’re ahead. I heard they are hiring at The Container Store.”
7.
You’ve been invited to do a TED Talk - a freaking TED Talk, people...and this is happening far sooner than you ever dreamed possible. This shizz just got real! What does your inner critic have to say about this opportunity?
- A.
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  “What?! You’re not ready for this?! TED Talks have to be PERFECT and you don’t even know what you would talk about. No. Tell them no. How did you even get into this mess?”
- B.
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  “OMG. You’re gonna choke. You’re gonna embarrass yourself. What are you even going to wear?!”
- C.
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  “They got the wrong person, right? They can’t want you. You’re not cool or edgy or sexy enough to give a TED Talk.”
- D.
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  “Gee, that’s nice of them and all, but you know that preparing for a TED Talk takes a long time...and you have a tendency to give up when it gets hard. It’s only 18 minutes in the spotlight. Why put yourself through so much heartache for some YouTube views?"

Quiz Outcomes

1.
I Can't
2.
I Shouldn't
3.
I Don't Know
4.
I Don't Wanna