Self-Doubt can be described as the feeling of having no confidence in your abilities and decisions. It can stop you from doing the things you want to do and reaching the goals you’ve set for yourself. In fact, it can be quite debilitating, preventing you from moving forward. Do you like being stuck where you are – particularly when you’re not very happy?
So what can you do when you’re doubting yourself? It’s relatively straight forward and the solution is found in the first sentence of this post, which is a definition of self-doubt. The key to banishing those doubtful feelings and the little voice in your head that tells you that it can’t be done is confidence.
The key is to boost your confidence. And you can do this in a multitude of ways:
Acknowledge how far you’ve come
Sometimes looking back at how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved can be a huge confidence booster. This works well if you’re already working on something, but find yourself afraid to take the next step. Seeing everything you’ve already done may give you the boost of self-confidence you need to keep doubt at bay.
Keep a list of your monthly and yearly accomplishments or you may find using a journal works well for you. Either way, it will help you measure how far you’ve come and provide an objective look at your progress. Don’t worry about being perfect, it’s a delay tactic for introverts. Just get the basics down on paper, you can always tighten up the details later. Acknowledging how far you’ve come will serve as a great source of motivation and inspiration when you are working on new goals and challenges.
Cheerleader, Coach or Mentor
Finding your own personal cheerleader, coach or mentor can be so very helpful. This person should understand what you’re trying to do and preferably have experience of achieving it (although this isn’t always necessary). Having someone there to support and / or cheer you on might be just what you need to boost your morale and keep you moving forward.
Don’t expect to just walk in and have your problems solved though. It takes time to build good relationships, so make sure you are prepared to do what it takes to make the relationship work. Other people can be a great source of inspiration. So, don’t forget…
You Don’t Have To Go It Alone!
Small Steps
Breaking down an overwhelmingly big goal into smaller tasks is also helpful. It doesn’t take nearly as much confidence to tackle one small task. And completing it builds confidence… which you can then use to work on the next step. Little by little you’ll make progress and eventually reach your goal without having to worry about the big picture the whole time. If overwhelm is an issue for you, this is a great strategy to deploy.
The main thing is to acknowledge the feelings of self-doubt, but avoid letting your feelings take control and get in the way of achieving your goals. Yes, it’s normal to doubt yourself. It happens to all of us. The key is to do what it takes to get you moving and working towards your goals despite the doubt and the little voice in your head that says that it can’t be done. Because, guess what… that voice is usually wrong. You’re capable of so much more than you think you are. Prove it to yourself by tackling one small task at a time.
Do you need to free yourself from self-doubt?
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