Gremlins

Gremlins (a.k.a. The Voices In Our Heads, The Committee, The Critic, The Cynic, The Dark Side, The Judgmental Mind)

Gremlins are the parts of our psyches that try to keep us from changing.  They're the voices that tell us: we don't really want or need to change, we're fine just as we are; it's easier to let things slide.  Sound familiar?

They can be very persuasive, and some can even draw on our intellect to provide irrefutable arguments as to why the change we're planning won't work.  Sometimes they're vindictive, telling us we don't really deserve to have what we want; that we're just where we're supposed to be.

Good news: they're wrong!

What Do Gremlins Represent?

Gremlins represent our defense mechanisms attempting to maintain the status quo.  Developed at a time in our lives when we may have had little control over our circumstances, these mechanisms have found a way for us to operate in the world that keeps us safe.  Hiding in the shadows, these mechanisms work to persuade us to continue operating in that same way, i.e. not to change, so we can stay safe.  The mechanisms do this even when the original circumstances are no longer present.

Why Bother with Gremlins?

With their insistence on our not changing, gremlins are anathema to coaching and to your progress in moving your life toward what you want it to be.  They work against you and the coaching process by robbing you of your desire, or by persuading you you're not capable or deserving of the change you desire.

Gremlins hate the light.  Simply bringing them out of the shadows is generally sufficient to remove their power.  When you can see them for what they are, and appreciate that their once-noble duty is no longer necessary or helpful, then you can discount the gremlin voices as appropriate (some of what they say is worth consideration) and make conscious choices about how to proceed.

Further, unconsciously fighting the gremlins takes effort.  Reconciling with them frees up this energy for more productive uses.

If you're planning to change, you're going to hear from the gremlins.  As you recognize them, you can honor what they say and not be controlled by them.