Who doesn't have it? That little voice in your head that says you can't, or tells you off, or criticises you and calls you an idiot. "Oh, that's nice, but it's for other people, not for you." What does your inner voice sound like? Does it sound like your own voice? Maybe Mom's voice, or a censor, or an old teacher? Perhaps you have a whole committee ganging up on you! Who's living in your head?

I want to talk to you about your gremlin — or whatever you call the voices in your head. Only you can know how many times you find yourself stopped by this little gremlin, or letting it nag you into doing things you really would rather not. The gremlin thinks it's acting in your interest, but instead it just serves to make you feel insecure, impotent and incompetent.

Well, there are ways to get rid of this gremlin. I'd like you now to relax… take a deep breath… breathe out… and start to hear that gremlin in your mind. Remember a time you last heard it… what did it sound like? What tone of voice did it use? (I bet it wasn't soothing.) Do you put a picture to the voice? What feelings do you get in your body?

• The voice belongs to your mind, so you have the freedom to change it. Try changing its voice to that of Sylvester the Cat ("Sufferin' succotash! It'll never work!"). If that doesn't make you smile, you can try other voices (Bart Simpson, your sexiest actor or actress, and so on). Notice the changes in your feelings.
• When the gremlin comes on strong, and changing its voice doesn't make it disappear, you need a mantra. I learned this mantra from one of my trainers. It goes like this: "Shut the heck up!" (You can use a stronger word.) Say it over and over until the voice shuts up.
• If the voice still doesn't go away, there is a final weapon. If you saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit, you may remember Judge Doom. He had a vat of acid that dissolved the "guilty" Loony Toons. All you need do is imagine a similar vat of acid by your side, and tell your gremlin that if he or she doesn't shut up, you'll dissolve it in that vat! (Hey, is that your gremlin I hear, saying, "That's silly, you can't do that"?)

"In the battle between your will and your imagination, your imagination will always win." Your gremlin is your imagination, winning. So, you have to use your imagination to get rid of that gremlin. Your imagination will always win… so get imagining! You have only your prison to lose!

Finally, once you have your gremlin under control, it's time to change it into someone helpful. Start changing the words. Instead of, "It'll never work," use, "Go on, give it a bash!" Instead of, "You're not good enough," say to yourself, "I can give it my best shot!"

Further reading:

• Taming Your Gremlin by Richard D Carson
• The Gremlin Taming Institute
• What do you call Your Inner Gremlin?