Episode Details

We all deal with self-doubt. We question our abilities and ultimately our potential to make things happen. We say things like, ‘I am not good enough! Did I make the right decision? What if I cannot handle this?’ these are all examples of self-doubt.

Most of the time, we have doubts about ourselves and our capabilities when we are lacking one of two things: confidence or competence.

Past experience and comparing ourselves to others also leads to self-doubt. We also experience self-doubt when we do something new and challenging or something out of our comfort zone. But when it comes to something that we never did before having doubts is normal.  To some extent, self-doubt is actually useful because it helps you see what skills you need to acquire or improve to perform a certain task better

But if self-doubt becomes the norm it’s time for you to change that. Which brings me to a great quote…"When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt"– Honore de Balzac.

So, Let’s talk about Recognizing the signs of self-doubt.

Being stuck with self-doubt can prevent you from living the life you desire. Self-doubt prevents you from starting the business you would love to, pursuing your passion, not applying for the amazing job promotion you think you deserve. You get the idea.

So, self-doubt basically holds you back in life and ultimately from success. It leads to procrastination. It keeps you from taking action towards your goals and ultimately achieving them. When you have doubts you don’t seize the opportunities that might be present in your life.  Self-doubt can have a negative effect on your life and confidence.

So, how can you deal with self-doubt and move forward…The Key is in Identifying and overcome Self Doubt.

Start by Recognizing the effects of self-doubt on your growth mindset:

Excessive self-doubt can lead to negative thinking patterns and limit your ability to achieve success. It can also lead to anxiety and depression, as well as interfering with interpersonal relationships. Self-doubt can impact work performance and productivity.

The truth is that self-doubt doesn’t go away. We simply learn how to deal with it better so we can achieve our goals and live our best life.

Learn to Embrace Your Self-Doubt

It may sound weird, but the first step to deal with your self-doubt is to embrace it. In other words, when you have self-doubt simply acknowledge it. Don’t beat yourself for having doubts about yourself and your abilities. Having self-doubts is normal – we all have them. It’s what makes us real and what makes us humans. So, accept that sometimes you will doubt yourself.

Instead of being reactive and trying to run away from it by distracting yourself – embrace it. In so doing, you will not waste your time, energy and motivation trying to avoid it. Embracing your self-doubt allows you to refocus your energy and fully concentrate on your goals.

A Key is to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.

"The only person you should try to be better than is who you were yesterday"– Unknown.

I understand that it is easier to compare yourself to others but doing so is one of the reasons why we struggle with insecurities. Comparing yourself to others leads to self-doubt…it causes it.

So, an effective way to deal with self-doubt is to compare yourself only to YOU. In other words, compare yourself to who you were yesterday to see how far you have come. For instance: suppose you started your Business 4 month ago. Instead of comparing your success to someone who is further ahead of you, compare your success to when you first started. When you assess your progress, don’t forget to celebrate your small wins. As Stefan James says, ‘what gets rewarded, gets repeated’. GAP vs GAIN by Dan Sullivan.

Build Your Self-Confidence to Overcome Doubt

To build confidence you need to remember, it is imp