Riz Ahmed: How to Silence Your Inner Critic (And Build REAL Self Worth)
6/10/20261 hr 26 min
The inner critic doesn't just disappear with more success.
Academy Award-winning actor, writer, and artist Riz Ahmed shares why success, recognition, and achievement can never replace self-worth. He opens up about identity, shame, the inner critic, and the pressure to perform, revealing how life can start to feel like one long audition when your value depends on other people’s approval.
Through a deeply personal health crisis and years of chasing validation, Riz discovered the power of vulnerability, gratitude, and self-acceptance. This conversation is a powerful reminder that true freedom begins when you stop proving yourself to the world and start defining your worth for yourself.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to Stop Seeking Constant Validation
How to Quiet Your Inner Critic
How to Find Flow Instead of Chasing Success
How to Let Go of Who Others Expect You to Be
How to Stay Grounded Through Life’s Highs and Lows
How to Build Self-Worth Beyond Achievement
How to Find Freedom in Vulnerability
How to Live More Fully in the Present Moment
Growth isn’t about becoming someone else; it’s about having the courage to be fully yourself. Keep showing up, keep learning, and trust that who you are is already enough.
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
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What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
01:33 Rooting for Others Without Comparison
04:01 The Danger of Seeking External Validation
07:02 A Childhood Memory That Shaped Everything
11:42 The Secret to Finding Flow
18:29 Life Feels Like One Big Audition
22:31 The Gap Between Who You Are and Who You Present
25:05 Finding Freedom in the Imperfection
27:49 One Story Does Not Define You
32:07 When Life Falls Apart Overnight
39:15 Facing Your Darkest Moments Alone
46:44 Breaking Free from the Alpha Male Myth
50:08 When Your Inner Critic Becomes Your Identity
52:56 Managing the Voice Inside Your Head
56:21 Why Does Time Go By Faster as We Grow Older?
58:42 Home Is the People You Love
01:01:55 Setting Boundaries to Protect Your Creativity
01:04:29 Finding Where You Truly Belong
01:10:04 Growing Up in Northwest London
01:12:32 Riz on Final Five
Episode Resources:
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/rizahmed
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/RizAhmed/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/rizahmed
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJay Shetty· Host0:00
This is an iHeart podcast, [upbeat digital music] Guaranteed Human.
Speaker 20:04
Hey, guys, it's us, th- the Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.
Speaker 30:08
And I'm Nick, and guess what? We've created our own podcast called- Oh ... Hey Jonas.
Speaker 20:13
Nice. We invented a podcast?
Speaker 30:14
Well, we didn't invent it, we, we just contributed to it. Um- We're the first people to do podcasts We get to ask other people questions, 'cause we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know.
Speaker 20:25
Tired and sick.
Speaker 30:26
Tired and sick.
Speaker 20:26
Listen to Hey Jonas! on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 30:31
Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.
Speaker 40:34
[upbeat digital music] Joy is essential, and it's also elusive. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence, Joy 101. It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotb. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Listen to Joy 101 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Riz Ahmed· Guest1:02
I have long, deep history with this critical voice and this shame, and I really think it can kill you, man. What part of you still feels like it doesn't belong? Different parts of me in every place that I go to. If you felt totally comfortable everywhere you went, then you're probably not in the right place. What is Riz Ahmed's dream? External markers of achievement. The award, the round of applause. They don't nourish you on a soul level, and the thing that I'm seeking