Being a Self-Critic is a Full-time Job

Count how many times you have criticized yourself in the past five minutes.
Now how many of those were self-deprecating?

There is the common phrase: “You are your own worst critic.”
However, I prefer to say...

You are your own meanest critic.

Allow me to explain...

There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is lack of information; stupidity is refusal of information.

I refuse the lack of Awesome as a response.

The Difference?
Ignorance: Children are unaware that a hot stove can burn them.
Stupidity: Child is warned about touching the stove and still does it.

I post this image as I sip tea from a mug.

A lot of time we allocate the title of stupidity to embarrassing moments we couldn't avoid unless we could see into the future. Spilling a drink on the most important person in the room because someone bumped against you doesn't qualify you as stupid, even though you'll be calling yourself that for the rest of the night.

Clearly you need to criticize yourself harshly because of your inability to be aware of every. single. possible. variable in a situation.

How dare you act innocent. GROVEL FOR FORGIVENESS.

I can already hear the chorus of angst.

Being able to distinguish between ignorance and stupidity requires objectivity (ie analysis without emotion in the way; the opposite of angst). Your emotionally charged opinion of yourself is a self-perpetuated delusion meant to keep you wallowing in your own sorrow instead of actively listening.

You can go on for hours angsting about yourself, your life, and your goals.
“Everything I do is shit.”
“No one will ever understand my vision.”
“I keep trying and I keep failing.”
“What’s the point?”
“I am ashamed of what I create.”
“Everyone will hate it.”
Etc.

Because you should know better?

Ignorance is when an accident reveals a flaw in your judgment whether it was "your fault" or not. Being able to admit to the lack of better judgment is the strongest character trait you can have!

It is the first step to improving your life.

You have the right to call yourself stupid until the world ends. You're already smarter than actual stupid people because you are self-aware of your faults. Sure, that doesn't fix the issue, but it does give you the opportunity to cut yourself some slack.

I plead the fifth!

This is why I said you are your own "meanest" critic instead of "worst." Something about worst makes it sound like you begin at the bottom of the food chain, and that really instills the perception of "What's the point of trying to make myself better?"

If you start telling yourself you're the meanest to yourself, you'll react the same way as you would to other mean people: "Fuck off."

Then again...

Internet: Competing for the title of Meanest Critic since inception.

The choice to listen to criticism is up to you, as is the judgment of whether it's "good" or "bad" for you. It is your responsibility to yourself to defend against unconstructive criticism, especially when it comes from within you.

Spend less time listening to mean criticism and you'll have more time to improve your quality of life.