Shut Up! I’m On Next. How to Leave Your Inner Critic Backstage
© 2015, 2026 Linda Bucher LLC - All Rights Reserved
There I was, giving a presentation to a group of high-level executives. I’d worked for three days on the analysis and felt confident in my material. But a few minutes into my presentation, I ran into the management equivalent of a heckler.
He sat across from me, arms folded, wearing a sour look. He shook his head “no” without pause, clearly in complete disagreement with everything I was saying.
As if that wasn’t enough to sabotage my confidence, my inner critic chimed in: Do you even know what you’re talking about? Do you really belong up there in front of all these smart people?
My inner critic is easy to picture. She looks like a tiny Gila monster with arms crossed, a permanent scowl, and a reserved seat on my shoulder where she yaps in my ear. Her name is FUDdly Do-Right. F is for Fear, U is for Uncertainty, and D is for Doubt.
FUDdly’s fuel is fear. She’s been around my whole life and I’ve accepted she’s not going away. She used to get especially loud right before I stepped on stage until I learned how to quiet her down.
Has your own inner critic ever peppered your confidence with snide commentary?
What if you forget what you’re going to say?What if they judge you?What if someone disagrees and you look stupid?
Before you know it, you’re sweating, panicking, and wondering why you agreed to this in the first place.
It’s time to quiet the constant chatter of your inner critic so you can confidently get on with the beautiful work you’re here to do. You don’t have to silence her forever; you just need her to stay backstage while you’re on stage. These strategies will support you both in the preparation and in the moments you’re on stage.
1. Remind yourself: your talk might change a life
It’s natural to worry that what you’re sharing isn’t completely new. Maybe it isn’t. Yet, someone in that audience may need to hear it from you, in your voice, at this exact moment, for it to finally land.
You may not reach everyone. But you’re not there for everyone. You’re there for the one person who needs what you’re about to say. If you touch even one life, you’ve fulfilled the purpose of your talk.
Before you begin, take a moment to scan the room and ask yourself: Who is here today that I’m meant to reach? Then show up for them.
2. Set expectations: yours and theirs
Your inner critic loves to ask: What makes you the expert? Aren’t there people here who know more than you?
And she’s right. Someone probably does. So, what can you do? Start your presentation with something like this:
“I don’t know everything, but I’m excited to share what I do know. I invite you to take what resonates with you and feel free to leave the rest.”
With this, you’ve reset the bar to “human.” You no longer need to be a know-it-all guru, and your audience feels empowered, too. Even the hecklers relax when you disarm them like this.
3. Don’t fear what you don’t know
Worried about Q&A? The thought of being stumped? Here’s the reframe: not knowing doesn’t make you less than, it makes you human.
If a question falls outside your expertise, meet them in their curiosity. Say, “That’s a great question. I have some thoughts, and I’m also curious to look into it more. I’ll do a little research and get back to you.”
That response builds far more credibility than reaching for something half formed.
4. Show up to give attention, not get attention
At the root of your critic’s panic is the fear of judgment. The moment you begin to worry about how you look or what they’ll think of you, you’ve shifted your focus away from your audience and made it all about you.
Your job isn’t to get attention, it’s to give it. To offer your audience your presence, your focus, and something of value. Their judgments about you, your talk, your outfit, or your knowledge are shaped by their own inner critics. You don’t get to control that, so let it go.
And once you truly get this, the fear eases. It’s liberating.
5. Plan for “popsicle moments”
Sometimes, despite your prep, your inner critic breaks loose mid-talk and freezes you in place. That’s what I call a “popsicle moment.” Here’s how to thaw quickly:
Ground yourself. Take a slow, deep breath. Imagine inhaling courage and exhaling fear. Let your heart rate slow.
Be gentle with yourself. This isn’t about you. You’re here for someone. You can’t control what others think. Come back to what you know and stand in that.
Add a little humor. Lighten the moment: “Please enjoy the music while I get through this popsicle moment.” You’ve already shown that you’re human. They’ll roll with it.
Be who you are. Know what you know. Your critic can’t argue with that.
Thanks to these strategies, I didn’t hear a peep from FUDdly Do-Right while presenting this topic on stage. I simply showed up as me, sharing what I know. Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t - it’s really none of my business.
If these strategies help even one person quiet their inner critic, I’ve done what I came here to do. And that’s enough.
© 2015, 2026 Linda Bucher LLC - All Rights Reserved
ABOUT LINDA BUCHER
Linda Bucher is a Transformational Speaker, a Master-Certified Life Coach, and the host of the Conversations Worth Your While™ podcast.
She guides you to shed what no longer fits, reconnect with your gifts, and bring your life into alignment with who you are and what you want. Because when you’re fully aligned with who you are, you’re ready to make the difference you were born to make.
Linda’s Website: https://lindabucher.com
Contact Linda: https://lindabucher.com/contact-us
Linda’s Podcast: Conversations Worth Your While™