Squiggly Careers Podcast
Episode: Squiggly Shortcut: How to Quieten Your Inner Critic
Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Sarah Ellis
Episode Overview
In this Squiggly Shortcut episode, host Sarah Ellis delves into taming our "confidence gremlins"—the negative beliefs and inner doubts that hold us back in our careers. She shares three practical reframing techniques designed to help listeners challenge these unhelpful thoughts, enabling more confidence, optimism, and growth in the face of career challenges. The episode is actionable and empathetic, offering listeners immediate tools to start silencing their inner critic.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Understanding Confidence Gremlins (01:10)
- Sarah defines confidence gremlins as "the beliefs, fears, and doubts that hold us back in our Squiggly career."
- Common examples include:
- Fear of failure
- Feelings of inadequacy ("I'm not good enough")
- Fear of being found out
- Comparisons to others
- Being put on the spot (01:20)
2. Three Reframing Techniques
I. Move from "Can't" to "Can" (02:05)
- Gremlins thrive on “can’t.” Example: “I can’t have hard conversations.”
- Sarah shares her own gremlin: a fear of conflict.
- When we say “I can’t,” “it just feels like there’s a full stop. There’s nothing we can do about it.”
- Reframe: Focus on what you can do—even something small.
- Example: “I can ask open, curious questions during a tough conversation.”
- Quote:
- "So we're focusing on what we can do rather than what we can't do." (Sarah Ellis, 02:35)
II. Shift from Pessimism to Optimism (03:30)
- Gremlins are pessimistic, preferring we stay safe and don’t try new things.
- In tough situations, we often blame ourselves: “That meeting was a disaster and that’s all my fault.”
- Reframe: Spot one very small success in the moment.
- Acknowledge the challenge, but identify a positive action, e.g., “I asked a good question,” or, “I stayed present and kept listening.”
- Quote:
- "We're not trying to be unrealistically positive...just a very small success that's going to remind you that there is some good in every situation." (Sarah Ellis, 04:25)
III. Reframe from Fixed to Flexible (05:10)
- Gremlins make us think improvement isn't possible; we get stuck on, “I’m just not good at conflict. I’m a 0 out of 10.”
- Reframe: See yourself on a sliding scale (e.g., “I’m a 4 out of 10 at this skill”) and focus on moving up just one notch.
- "We're never quite as bad as we think we are because we're all our own worst critics."
- Encourages embracing growth, neuroplasticity, and small progress.
- Quote:
- "We're not trying to go from 0 to hero. We're just trying to nudge ourselves up that scale a bit, to recognize that we are all a work in progress." (Sarah Ellis, 06:00)
Additional Resources & Notable Mentions
- For a deeper dive, Sarah recommends Episode 387: How to Cage Your Confidence Gremlins (07:05).
- Free resources on confidence gremlins are available at amazingif.com.
- Sarah invites listener feedback to helenandsarah@squigglycareers.com.
Memorable Moments & Quotes
- On recognizing the gremlin:
- "Our gremlins like us to stay really comfortable." (Sarah Ellis, 03:43)
- On being a work in progress:
- “To know that we're a four, but to believe that it's possible to be a five just by taking some really small actions.” (Sarah Ellis, 06:19)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 01:10 – What are confidence gremlins?
- 02:05 – Reframe 1: “Can't” to “Can”
- 03:30 – Reframe 2: Pessimism to Optimism
- 05:10 – Reframe 3: Fixed to Flexible
- 07:05 – Further resources and closing thoughts
Summary Tone & Takeaways
The episode is practical, supportive, and down-to-earth, reflecting Sarah’s commitment to providing listeners with immediately usable mindset shifts. By reframing negative self-talk, focusing on small wins, and seeing personal growth as incremental, listeners are empowered to take action against their inner critic and pursue their career goals with renewed confidence.
For more ideas, actions, and weekly inspiration, visit amazingif.com and check out their other Squiggly Shortcuts.