Self-
Feedback
Harsh Critic vs. Reality-Based Steward
Narrative Fallacy
Owned by the Critic
Believing the “internal sentence” that belittles and shames. Treating automatic, defensive thoughts as objective facts.
Result: Performance collapse.
Self-Feedback
Stewardship of Truth
Using mindfulness to investigate: “Is this thought true?” Decoupling sensitivity from untrue narratives.
Result: Resilience and clarity.
Dismantling the Inner Octagon
Performance environments—whether a MMA cage or a keynote stage—often trigger a “harsh inner critic.” Without a reality-based framework, this internal feedback becomes a spiral of negativity. True Self-Feedback requires building the mental tools to recognize these thoughts as “protective projections” rather than present-day truths.
Mindfulness as Direct Observation
We often intellectualize our mental health, but Self-Feedback demands direct experience. By anchoring in the present moment, we can feel challenging thoughts run through the body and watch them pass. This practice allows us to wring wisdom from our experiences without becoming trapped by them.
Decoupling the Empathy Superpower
Many of our self-feedback habits were once survival mechanisms. As adults, we must learn to decouple our natural sensitivity from the defensive narratives we built in childhood. In doing so, we reclaim our agency and transform our internal dialogue into a system that serves our growth rather than our suffering.