Self-doubt can be one of the worst obstacles to achieving your goals, because it all happens inside your head. However, overcoming self-doubt is doable when you have the right tools and techniques at your fingertips.
What Is Self-Doubt?
Self-doubt is the biggest block for people trying to reach their goals. It makes starting or finishing your tasks harder than they need to be, which can hold you back from seizing amazing opportunities.
Self-doubt is those pesky thoughts that arise when a new opportunity presents itself. They are thoughts that you are not good enough, qualified enough, smart enough to accomplish what you are faced with.
Questions To Ask To Overcome Self-Doubt
What Is One Thing I Can Learn From This Setback?
Take every opportunity as a chance to grow, learn, and be a better stronger version of yourself. Use this to your advantage to help you move forward wiser and more aware.
What Is One Very Small Step I Can Take To Move Forward In This Situation?
Here are 5 suggestions to help you:
1. Write Yourself A Hand-Written Letter
There will always be one person left to uplift you, and that’s you. A great activity to help lift you up when you are feeling low and full of doubt is to sit down and write yourself a hand-written letter. Speak to yourself as though you were your best (and most kind) friend. You’ll be surprised with what may come from this simple act.
Reminding yourself that those negative and doubtful thoughts are a part of you, just as much as your light side is. That realization can help with acceptance for yourself and not fully giving in to the doubt and darkness that may come up when faced with a challenge.
2. Listen To And/Or Read Positive Material On A Daily Basis
The more positivity you bring into your world, whether through what you listen to or read, will give you an extra boost to get you out of a state of self-doubt.
3. Write In A Gratitude Journal At The Beginning And End Of Each Day
Being grateful and holding on to that gratitude each and every day can dispell even the worst self-doubt. Gratitude and negativity can’t live together at the same time, so as long as you keep track of what you are grateful for,you keep those self-doubt thoughts at bay.
4. Identify Who Your Biggest Fans Are And Nurture Those Relationships
We need cheerleaders in life, especially in those moments when our self-doubt is rearing its ugly head. Surround yourself with people that will cheer you on no matter what. That doesn’t need to be a stadium of adoring fans — a handful or even one other person you can look to for encouragement can be enough to help you overcome self-doubt.
5. Go To Your Mantras For Support
Retrain your brain on how to think and feel. Mantras are a great way to help with the reprogramming. For example: “You are strong, and you’ve got this! Or “I have figured it out in the past, and I will again in the future.”
If you believe your capabilities are limited, then that is exactly what will happen. One study found that students who believed they could do better on an exam performed better.
Believing you will not succeed at something is what could be holding you back from being able to achieve it — even when you have all the skills and knowledge to see success.
Doubts are completely normal: Take a big breath in and know that having doubts are a totally normal aspect of being human. We all experience self doubt from time to time.
Don’t believe the doubt: Just because you think it, doesn’t make it true. A thought is just a passing idea in your mind. You have the choice to give in to it or not.
Look at the bigger picture: Putting your task in perspective can help you move past the doubt.
Build your support tribe: Have your go-to people when the self doubt creeps up. People who are rooting for you and want you to succeed. People that will show you your light and strengths when you don’t see them yourself.
Practice daily: Getting over self-doubt is not a one-time event. In order to build your “overcoming self-doubt muscles” you need to practice every day.
Stay in your lane: Stop comparing yourself to others and the journey that they are on. Paying too much to what other people are doing will take away your focus from what you are meant to accomplish and learn.
What other people think of you is not your business: People have their own opinions for thousands of reasons; none of which is your business. Focus on the path you are on and it will help you overcome self-doubt.
Surround yourself with positivity: Listen and/or read positive material on a daily basis. You attract how you feel. If you think and feel joyful thoughts, then that is exactly what you will have coming to you. How? Listen to and read as much positive material as you can. It will help inspire you, guide you, and uplift you when self-doubt creeps up.
How Highly Successful People Overcome Self-Doubt
Stop Making Excuses: As to why an opportunity isn’t a good fit. The excuses are you just giving in to self-doubt. Don’t allow those thoughts the opportunity to spread.
Be thoughtful about who you surround yourself with: You are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Are they positive and encouraging you to do better and grow?
Increase self-awareness: Use this opportunity to dive deep and see where the root of your self-doubt lies. This awareness can help you grow and develop certain skills.
Compassion and kindness: A little love for yourself goes a long way. When doubt creeps up, it’s easy to get mad at yourself for having these thoughts, which ultimately just increases your frustration and self-doubt.
Self-doubt is not reflected in reality, just in your head. You can leave it there and overcome it.
Getting out of your comfort zone means you are growing and on the right path. Self-doubt is a sign you are in new territory, which is exactly where you need to be in order to grow and reach your goals!
Overcome Self-Doubt By Increasing Your Confidence
1. Get Moving
The best way to overcome self-doubt is by taking action. Sometimes the action of doing what you doubt alleviates those fears altogether. Action encourages you to take more action, and it also gets you out of your head, which is where doubt lives.
2. Focus On Your Previous Success
No matter how tough life can be we have all experienced success in some form or another at various points in our lives. So while you have these bursts of self doubt, keep your focus on the previous successes you have already had. Write them out and keep handy for those moments when you need the extra reminder that you can achieve what you are striving for.
3. Celebrate Each And Every Win
Be grateful for everything and celebrate your wins, no matter how big or small. Each little victory will dispel those doubts that are holding you back, showing you that you can be successful.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that however tough a challenge it is to overcome self doubt, remember that you’re not alone — everyone in the world has doubts at one point or another. Forgive yourself for these thoughts and allow yourself the chance to move on from the self-doubt rather than beat yourself up for it.
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