"إذا سمعت صوتًا بداخلك يقول "لا تستطيع الرسم"، فبكل الوسائل ارسم وسيتم إسكات ذلك الصوت."

Sometimes, we’re our own worst critics. We’ve all had that nagging little voice in our head telling us we can't do something. It’s like an annoying backseat driver, isn’t it? That’s what the quote is getting at. If you hear your inner critic saying you can't paint (or do anything creative), the best way to shut it up is to just go ahead and do it. In other words, action is the antidote to self-doubt.

Vincent Van Gogh, the guy who said this, wrestled with his own self-doubt. He wasn't always the celebrated artist we know today. In fact, he struggled a lot with his mental health and never saw much success during his lifetime. Imagine being Van Gogh, sitting in his tiny studio, hearing that voice telling him he's no good. But instead of giving in to that negativity, he picked up his brush and painted anyway. By doing so, he proved that pesky voice wrong. His story reminds us that the path to mastering anything is filled with bumps and doubts, but pushing through is what counts.

Now, think about J.K. Rowling for a minute. She’s a real-life example of what we’re talking about. Before Harry Potter became a household name, she was a struggling single mom living on welfare. She had this great idea for a story about a boy wizard, but I bet you she heard that same inner voice saying, “You can't write a bestseller.” Instead of listening to it, she wrote anyway—scribbling down ideas in cafes while her baby slept. Fast forward a few years, and she’s one of the most successful authors in history. By writing despite her doubts, she silenced that negative voice and changed her life.

So, how can you apply this wisdom to your life? Let’s get practical. Next time you hear that inner critic, challenge it. If it says you can’t write, start typing. If it says you can’t run a marathon, lace up those sneakers and start training. The goal isn't perfection; it's progress. The more you do, the more you’ll realize that the critic inside your head is just hot air. Each small victory will chip away at its power.

Imagine you’ve always wanted to learn guitar, but every time you think about it, that voice pipes up: “You’re too old to learn something new,” or “You’re not musically talented.” Instead of getting stuck in that loop, pick up a guitar and strum a few chords. Sure, it’ll sound awful at first, but who cares? The point is you’re doing it. As you practice, you’ll get better, and that voice will get quieter.

Here's a relatable story to drive it home. Think back to when you were a kid learning to ride a bike. The first few tries were probably disastrous. You fell, maybe got a few scrapes, and it hurt. But you didn’t stop. You got back on that bike and tried again, right? Eventually, you found your balance, and riding a bike became second nature. The voice saying, “You can’t do this,” disappeared because you proved it wrong with your actions.

So the next time doubt creeps in, remember Van Gogh’s advice: do the thing you think you can’t. Silence that voice by proving it wrong. Pick up the brush, the pen, the guitar—whatever it is—and just start. Trust me, you’ve got this.