Roberta had finally "made it."

Senior position. Public recognition. Respected in her field.

So why did her inner critic sometimes feel louder than ever?

"I just want to get my mojo back,"

she joked during our Peak Resilience Accelerator programme.

The other women in the group smiled knowingly.

They all felt it too.

Here's the hard truth we don't discuss: sometimes success amplifies self-doubt rather than silencing it.

Roberta's now in a very senior position.

Her title proves she's "made it" among female leaders in STEM.

But that visibility made her more aware of critics.

Some external. Mostly internal.

As a woman in a male-dominated field, her minority status heightens everything.

Every comment from "the guys" lands harder - particularly as she knows the women below are looking to her as a model.

So real criticism stings.

Imagined criticism haunts.

And here's what surprised her most: the naïveté and accompanying confidence of her youth were gone.

Experience brought wisdom.

But it also brought awareness of all the ways things could go wrong.

Sound familiar?

You've probably heard: "Just be more confident! Lean in! Stop doubting yourself!"

That advice ignores reality.

Your inner critic isn't stupid.

It's trying to protect you from failure and criticism.

The goal isn't to silence it completely.

The goal is to acknowledge it and choose a different neural pathway.

"Thanks, Inner Critic. I hear your concern. Now let me remind you of three times I've handled similar challenges before."

Here's what Roberta discovered through our work together:

Her inner critic got louder because she cared more.

She cared about doing great work.

She cared about the women following behind her.

She cared about representing her specialism well.

That caring created pressure.

And pressure amplifies doubt.

But that same caring also fueled her resilience.

When she remembered why her work mattered, the inner critic's volume naturally decreased.

Mental fitness isn't about eliminating self-doubt.

It's about building faster pathways to resilience.

The next time your inner critic pipes up, try this:

• Acknowledge it: "I hear you, Inner Critic. You're worried about X."

• Remind yourself of past success: "Remember when I faced Y? I got through it."

• Ask the resilience question: "What's the opportunity in this challenge?"

The more you practice this pattern, the faster your brain makes that shift automatically.

Email me at suzanne@doylemorris.com for a complimentary chemistry call.

We'll discuss your biggest workplace challenge and whether a 12-month coaching partnership makes sense for you.

Most of my clients are employer-funded!

Yes, your company will likely pay for this and I CAN help you get there.

Dr. Suzanne Doyle-Morris is an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) with a PhD from the University of Cambridge focusing on women in Engineering.

For 25 years, she's coached accomplished women in STEM as they advance to senior leadership.

She's the author of three books: "Beyond the Boys' Club: Strategies for Achieve Career Success as a Woman Working in a Male Dominated Field," "The Con Job: Getting Ahead for Competence in a World Obsessed with Confidence," and "Female Breadwinners: How They Make Relationships Work and Why they are Future of the Modern Workforce."

80% of her clients secure promotions or stretch roles within 12 months.

Not because she gives advice, but because she asks the right questions.