Confusing Self-Criticism With High Standards

"I'm just hard on myself because I have high standards" sounds like discipline, but real standards are about the work, while self-criticism is about the person doing it. Real standards ask how can this be better? — self-criticism just asks what's wrong with you.

High standards survive a mistake and adjust the next attempt; self-criticism just replays the mistake on a loop. If your inner voice never actually improves anything, it isn't standards — it's just punishment wearing a productive costume.