# 128: Critique Over Criticism: Emma Murray on Learning Faster Under Pressure

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974/128-critique-over-criticism-emma-murray-on-learning-faster-under-pressure
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974/128-critique-over-criticism-emma-murray-on-learning-faster-under-pressure.md
Podcast: [The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dwayne-kerrigan-podcast-6619974)
Published: 2026-02-25T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.dwaynekerrigan.com
Audio file: https://pdcn.co/e/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/682e7af2-94b3-44f4-96df-3966e9fcba20.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2791

## Resource

In Part 2 of this conversation, Emma Murray and Dwayne Kerrigan move from awareness into practical performance tools. Emma introduces one of the most powerful distinctions in high performance: critique versus criticism. She explains why self-criticism is a survival response that quietly destroys confidence, slows learning, and locks people into repeated mistakes. Through examples from elite sport, sales, leadership, parenting, and everyday life, Emma breaks down how to review performance by examining the entire process — thoughts, feelings, actions, and results — rather than attacking outcomes or identity. The conversation also dives into fear-based leadership, tunnel vision, stress responses, and why people perform worse when they feel watched, pressured, or unsafe. Emma shares actionable techniques to regain presence under pressure, including breath, body awareness, and “small focus” anchors that keep the mind out of fight-or-flight. This episode equips leaders, entrepreneurs, and performers with a repeatable framework for learning faster, leading better, and performing consistently — even when stakes are high. Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Emma on self-kindness under pressure and stopping the internal threat response 01:00 – Dwayne intro + framing Part 2: turning attention and mindset into action 02:00 – Critique over criticism: how thoughts drive feelings, actions, and results 03:30 – Outcome focus vs process focus and why pressure hijacks performance 05:05 – How to critique the entire performance process (thinking, feeling, doing) 06:40 – Turning failure into growth by extracting the right lessons 08:00 – Why quarterly reviews fail and daily reflection matters 09:45 – Coaching teams beyond checklists and task correction 11:25 – A-game vs B-game language and building…

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## Transcript

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