Episode Overview

Podcast: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson
Episode: Ask Us ANYTHING: Stop Believing Your Inner Critic 🎯 | Ep. 439
Date: October 31, 2025
Host: Jay Schwedelson (presented by GURU Media Hub)

This episode of "Do This, NOT That!" tackles audience-submitted questions in a snappy, conversational style. Jay addresses a listener's concern about imposter syndrome when transitioning into a new marketing role, shares unconventional but practical advice to silence the inner critic, and wraps up with a rapid-fire take on the greatest movies of all time. The episode seamlessly blends actionable marketing wisdom with humor and relatability—a signature move from Jay.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Overcoming the Inner Critic in Marketing

[00:40 – 09:30]

• Stacy’s Question: Stacy from Sarasota, FL, wrote in worried about her unconventional background moving into marketing and feeling inadequate compared to long-time marketers.

• Jay’s Reassurance: Jay pushes back on the “gatekeeper” mentality in marketing, emphasizing that the field doesn’t require the same formal credentials as law, medicine, or accounting.

  • “You’re not moving into becoming a CPA. You’re not moving into becoming a lawyer or a doctor or anything that requires a really serious degree… This ain’t that.” — Jay ([01:30])

• Fresh Perspective Advantage: Newcomers with diverse experiences often outperform those who have become stagnant, relying solely on outdated tactics.

  • “You’re probably better than the majority of marketers out there right now, because the majority…have no new ideas.” — Jay ([02:00])

• Everyone Feels Like an Imposter: Jay normalizes feelings of not being good enough by sharing his own early career doubts, such as being too young, not smart enough, or lacking connections.

  • “We all, every one of us, myself included, we need to stop [negative self talk].” — Jay ([03:10])

• Comparing Inner Critic to Outside Influence: Jay illustrates how easily people are influenced, comparing negative self-talk to being convinced by a random dinner guest to invest in cryptocurrency.

  • “By the end of it, I’m convinced I should move my 401k to like a bitcoin or something because this clown of a human has convinced me…This is the same thing as negative self talk.” — Jay ([05:10])

• Scientific Backing: Recounts a UCLA study showing how repeated negative thinking actually alters brain pathways, reinforcing self-doubt and anxiety.

  • “The more you run those ‘I’m not good enough’ scripts in your head, the more your brain defaults to them, even when they’re not true.” — Jay ([07:10])

• Actionable Solution – Naming the Inner Critic: Jay shares his own quirky but effective ritual: naming his inner critic “Ass Clown” to externalize and shut it down.

  • “In my mind, I name my inner critic… Ass Clown. Anytime something pops into my mind… I literally say… ‘Not today, Ass Clown.’” — Jay ([08:00])

• Encouragement to Others: He urges listeners to try naming their own inner critic (the name is optional!) and to assertively dismiss that negative voice.

  • “You need to address the fact that you know it’s not real what you’re saying to yourself. And then you need to say… ‘I’m going to go ahead and move forward.’” — Jay ([08:50])

2. Rapid-Fire Ridiculous Question: Best Movies of All Time

[10:00 – 12:30]

• James from Seattle asks: Jay, what are the best movies ever?

• Jay’s Unfiltered Top Picks:

  • “Mean Girls. Yes. If it’s not in your top list, you are a tool and you’re wrong.” — Jay ([10:20])
  • Boomerang (Eddie Murphy): “Great, great. Love Eddie Murphy. Very funny.”
  • Rocky 1–4 (not 5): “If you have never seen Rocky, I want you to spend time watching 1 through 4. If you don’t like them… I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
  • Old School (Vince Vaughn): “Straight up. One of the funniest movies ever.”
  • Iron Man (first): “Greatest superhero movie of all time.”
  • The Breakfast Club: “If you don’t agree, you… have no actual credibility in the world of movie picking.”

• Jay’s Signature Humor: An unapologetic delivery, bold opinions, and the mixing of movie genres show off Jay’s irreverent style and establish camaraderie with listeners.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You’re not moving into becoming a CPA...This ain’t that.” — Jay ([01:30])
• “You’re probably better than the majority of marketers out there right now…you’re probably going to crush everybody.” — Jay ([02:00])
• “Negative self talk is something you wind up actually buying into.” — Jay ([04:40])
• “This idea of negative self talk is not just annoying. UCLA did this study…and they actually found…repeated negative thinking actually strengthens neural pathways…for fear, self doubt, anxiety.” — Jay ([07:00])
• “In my mind, I name my inner critic…Ass Clown. Anytime something pops into my mind… I literally say…‘Not today, Ass Clown.’” — Jay ([08:00])
• “Mean Girls. Yes. If it’s not in your top list, you are a tool and you’re wrong.” — Jay ([10:20])
• “If you don’t agree [on The Breakfast Club], you have no actual credibility in the world of movie picking.” — Jay ([11:45])

Key Timestamps

• 00:40 – 09:30: Honest advice on ignoring your inner critic in marketing; neuroscience behind negative self-talk; Jay’s personal strategy for overcoming self-doubt.
• 10:00 – 12:30: Lightning round – Jay’s picks for best movies ever; classic Jay humor and off-the-cuff remarks.

Tone & Takeaways

Jay’s delivery is fast, informal, engaging, and loaded with hard-earned wisdom and memorable one-liners. He delivers a serious message about overcoming negative self-talk (especially for newcomers in marketing), then packs in humor to keep things light and relatable.

Actionable Takeaway:
Stop believing your inner critic—give it a silly name, refuse to listen, and move forward confidently. Your unconventional background is your competitive edge in marketing, not a detriment.

Entertainment Bonus:
Jay’s unapologetic movie list serves up a humorous palate cleanser and adds to the podcast’s approachable, every-marketer style.