Trick Your Inner Critics and Treat Your Mind

How to Silence Imposter Syndrome and Saboteurs this Halloween

As Halloween approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the spooky fun of ghosts, ghouls, and witches. But let’s be real — the scariest things often aren’t found outside. They’re the voices inside your own head. That lurking doubt whispering, “You’re not good enough,” or the insidious fear hissing, “Who do you think you are to be here?” These are no monsters under the bed; these are the internal saboteurs feeding your imposter syndrome.

Just like how a well-timed trick or treat can delight and surprise, you can outsmart your inner critics and treat your mind to something sweeter: self-compassion, confidence, and clarity.

The Tricksters Behind Imposter Syndrome

You’ve likely felt the icy grip of imposter syndrome before — that sneaking suspicion that you’ve somehow fooled everyone into thinking you’re competent, successful, or deserving of your achievements. It's as though you're wearing a mask, afraid that at any moment, someone will rip it off and expose you as a fraud.

But what fuels this haunting feeling? Meet the saboteurs — shadowy mental characters that stir fear, self-doubt, and sabotage. These saboteurs can be the controlling forces behind our negative thoughts and behaviors, especially when it comes to doubting ourselves.

The ringleader of this Halloween freak show is the Judge. This inner critic loves to point fingers — at you, others, or your circumstances. It’s always ready to remind you of your mistakes, whisper doubts about your abilities, and convince you that you’re just one step away from being “found out.”

But the Judge doesn’t act alone. It’s joined by an eerie entourage of other saboteurs, 9 to be exact. Here some of them:

- The Stickler: Perfectionism is its poison. It whispers that nothing is ever good enough, making you second-guess everything and fear failure.

- The Hyper-Achiever: It wears a mask of success, convincing you that you’re only valuable when you're winning, achieving, and constantly outperforming.

- The Pleaser: It haunts you with the need for approval. You're tricked into prioritizing others' opinions over your own, leading to burnout and resentment.

Each of these saboteurs has a knack for making you doubt your worth and question your success, like mental vampires that drain your confidence.

Casting Spells to Banish Your Saboteurs

This Halloween, don’t just sit in the haunted house of your mind, allowing these mental goblins to run the show. It’s time to light up your internal jack-o’-lantern and cast some empowering spells to take control.

Unmask Your Saboteurs: Start by identifying which saboteurs are haunting you the most. Do you feel the Judge’s cold stare? Or maybe the Hyper-Achiever’s constant demand for more? Once you know who they are, you can begin to silence them. Understanding their tricks helps you see that their voices are distortions, not truths.

Trick Your Inner Critic with Empathy: Here’s the thing about your inner critic — it’s trying to protect you, just in a twisted way. The Judge wants to keep you safe from failure, while the Pleaser wants you to stay liked. Treat these saboteurs with empathy and compassion, but don’t let them take the lead. Acknowledge them, but choose to listen to the rational, calmer part of your mind instead.

Flip the Script: Imagine carving out some space in your mind for the Sage, a wiser, kinder voice that exists beyond the fog of doubt. The Sage turns the saboteurs’ tricks into treats by reframing your challenges. For instance, instead of fearing failure, the Sage sees it as a learning opportunity. Channeling this mindset makes even the darkest doubts seem less frightening.

Anchor in the Present: The saboteurs thrive in past regrets or future fears. To weaken their power, ground yourself in the present. Techniques like mindfulness or deep breathing help keep you in the here and now, where you can think clearly and make empowered decisions, free from the saboteur’s spooky grip.

Treat Yourself: Trust Your Worth

The best part of Halloween? It’s not just about the tricks. It’s about the treats, too.

This season, treat yourself to the understanding that you are more than enough. You’ve earned your place where you are — through effort, resilience, and talent. Every time you quiet a saboteur, you take back a piece of your mind, freeing it up for confidence and growth.

The next time your saboteurs show up like unwelcome trick-or-treaters, remember that you hold the bag of candy. They can knock, they can rattle, but you get to decide who gets in. Choose to give your attention to the voice that believes in you — the one that celebrates your strengths, sees opportunities in your challenges, and knows that your success isn’t a mask. It’s the real deal.

So this Halloween, instead of letting imposter syndrome give you chills, cast a spell of self-compassion, and remember: those inner critics might be loud, but you have the power to silence them for good. Trick them into submission and treat yourself to a mind that’s as fearless as it is powerful.

Happy haunting — and happy healing! ??

About Elena

Elena added the role of career reinvention coach to her 2 decades of pricing and forecasting roles in American and Japanese corporations. Today, through her 3 programs, she coaches career conflicted top-level professionals reinventing themselves and find great fulfilment in their work.

“Twist your career into a new profession” 1:1 tailored sessions to have a 360 degrees pivot into a new role.

“Turn your strengths into superpowers” 1:1 tailored sessions to up-skill and re-skill natural talents increasing confidence and productivity.

“Job Landing Strategy?” 4 sessions to look for a new job and maximize the chances to be selected.

You can talk to Elena here and follow her on Linkedin.