Self-doubt! Doubting one’s ability to finish a task, commit to an idea, or achieve a goal.
I think self doubt is something we have all battled with at some stage in our life. That internal dialogue of “can I do this?”, “do I deserve this?” or “is it possible?”.
These are only some of the common questions WE face when dealing with self-doubt. The keyword here is WE because you’re not alone in this. Even your idols have suffered from self-doubt at a stage in their careers.
Over time I have come to realize is that self-doubt is not inherently a bad thing. The questions you ask of yourself can serve as an opportunity to reinforce your belief in completing a task or achieving a goal.
So why do we suffer from self-doubt?
This is a really good question and I think the answer will continue to develop overtime.
However, I think self-doubt comes from two places:
First: A genuine passion and desire to be better, do better and live better. It’s within that desire and passion that we question if we can achieve this. Even though we know we can, not seeing the tangible product (i.e house, car, lover) serves as driver in our minds to say “well if I can’t see it now, then I must not be able to have it, so why am I doing this”.
It’s from that deep routed hunger to achieve that we sometimes lose patience in the process, hence self-doubt the process. It’s really because we care so much, we doubt the possibility.
Second: Fear! The fear of not having or being enough so we doubt ourselves. This is definitely the worse of the two as it comes from
How do you beat self-doubt?
The below suggestions are things I have either done personally or spoken to friends who have tried and benefited from.
The exercise therapy
A personal go-to for me when dealing with self-doubt is exercise. Ideally, a long outdoor run, which allows you to analyze the situation, address your self-doubt and answer some of those self-doubting questions.
Ultimately, giving you time to reinforce those positive thoughts of self-belief and excitement for your goals and desires are.
Reflection on previous success
We’ve all had wins in our life, some small, some big. When self-doubt creeps in, draw on the emotions you felt when you won something and use that as a driver to overcome any self-doubt. It could be the time you won a medal, graduated from university or got married to the love of your life. Reflecting on positive experiences will overshadow self-doubt and give you the belief that you’re destined for more.
Talking to someone who loves you
Talking with someone you love can be a powerful way of overcoming self-doubt and getting back in line with your aims and objectives. However, as mentioned previously, don’t rely on these people to get you back on track.
Sidenote: be very selective with who you
Self-help books
Self-help books are a great way of reinforcing your belief in your abilities. Whilst providing good lessons you can use in your daily life to remove any self-doubt. One of my favourite books is ‘Ask and it is given by Esther and Jerry Hicks’.
Therapy
I personally haven’t gone to a therapist; however, I have spoken to friends who say speaking to a professional has really helped them overcome self-doubt and more. If none of the above suggestions are working then I’d recommend seeking professional support.
There you have it these are the 5 things you can do to overcome self-doubt. I hope this post was useful and gets you back or spurs you on to reaching all your goals.
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