Quiet the inner critic: Mastering self-compassion | Mayo Clinic On Human Optimization E68

Ambitious people often credit their success to a strong inner critic. They take pride in “staying hungry” and talk about complacency like it’s an existential threat. But that same voice can steal the joy from our happiest moments – moments in life when we should feel proud and accomplished, but all we can see are the little missteps we took along the way. Or the things we haven’t yet accomplished. So how do we make room for joy and positivity without eroding our motivation and ambition? This episode, we’re joined by two experts from the Compassion Institute – Program Director Aproteem Choudhury and Executive Director Stephen Butler – to talk about how mastering the art of self-compassion can fight burnout, increase satisfaction, and propel sustained achievement. The three big questions we have for Apro and Stephen are: 1. What is self-compassion, and why is it important? 2. Why do we tend to be our own harshest critic, and why is it so hard to be kind to ourselves? 3. How can people develop more self-compassion while maintaining high standards and fueling growth? Learn more about On Human Optimization and access Pod-Club questions at https://ce.mayo.edu/content/mayo-clinic-human-optimization Instagram: @MayoHumanOptimization YouTube: On Human Optimization - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu Sign up to receive Mayo Clinic Press emails. Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press: https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/podcasts/?utm_campaign=agingforward&utm_medium=link&utm_source=podcast for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books. Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu. 0:00 Why compassion is a strength 0:42 The problem with the inner critic 2:17 What is self-compassion? 3:00 Compassion vs. empathy 4:16 Why compassion is a skill 6:11 Self-compassion as a developmental journey 8:26 Self-compassion vs. self-pity, self-indulgence and self-esteem 13:55 Why self-compassion can feel uncomfortable 19:08 Does self-compassion reduce motivation? 21:18 Understanding your inner critic 24:34 When the inner critic isn’t so obvious 28:54 How to develop self-compassion 36:34 Practicing self-compassion in everyday life 40:06 How self-compassion supports performance and well-being 40:55 Why compassion is relational 43:46 Key takeaways about self-compassion 45:19 Challenge: Evaluate your inner critic From Mayo Clinic to your inbox (free): https://mayocl.in/3e71zfi Visit Mayo Clinic: https://mayocl.in/2COVmlm Connect with Mayo Clinic: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayoclinic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayoclinic X: https://x.com/MayoClinic Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mayoclinic