Am I doing enough?
Am I going to succeed at this?
Is this where I should be right now?
Is this correct or should it be completed another way?
Everyone at some time questions decisions. We all question our thoughts, ideas, even the things in life like am I earning enough? is this the right job for me? am I successful enough? should I live in this town? These questions are natural. It is life.
Questioning where you should be, doubting whether you made the right choice is quite normal. Somewhere within many of us is the questioning voice of reason. Wondering if your choices are right.
I know the feeling all too well. Questioning long hours worked in unfulfilling jobs, or jobs that were not for me. Also, questioning where to live, hours to work and even if I have the correct skills for certain jobs.
Sometimes you have all the skills you need to move forward in confidence yet you question yourself. When you question yourself, you give your power away to your doubt.
When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.
Honore De Balza
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What is self doubt?
The dictionary says that self doubt is a lack of confidence and one’s abilities.
I have discovered that for me self doubt is when I get in my own way, with my own thoughts.
While studying at a local university, I had an ‘Aha moment’ while discussing the expressions of power. It was at this time I realised I had the power to shape my life and my world. It starts with me as I have the power within. The power is within to change my thoughts and recognize my value and self-worth.
Personal power is the ability to take action.
Tony Robbins
There are multiple expressions of power which can be negative and positive. When you use your ‘power within’ you recognize that you have the capacity, the knowledge and believe in yourself. Likewise, ‘power to’ is positive, for you have the power to change and design your own life.
What happens when you doubt yourself?
When you doubt yourself you stop yourself from taking action. Fear sets in and holds you back from making decisions. You doubt yourself and your ability even if you have the skills and have completed the research.
On the other hand, confident people make informed decisions and stand by them. Confident people know that even if they have made a wrong decision, they have progressed forward. They believe they learn by their mistakes.
You learn by doing, there are no mistakes.
If you want to progress forward, which we all do, it requires stepping through self-doubt and trusting yourself. Giving yourself the power so you can have the confidence to move forward in life and take on new adventures and opportunities with confidence.
Opportunities present themselves all the time, like; a new job, a promotion, stepping into business for yourself, starting a business while working. Yet so often you feel stuck, frozen on the spot, unable to change direction or progress forward. If self doubt is holding you back. You are not alone.
Go for your dreams and life goals.
You know you have the knowledge, the skill, the time and the desire to go for the opportunity. Yet the lack of self confidence is stopping you from moving forward. You are not alone.
Say NO to self doubt, move forward in confidence.
Self-doubt and lack of confidence are normal. In fact, it shows signs of learning, developing skills and growing into the person you want to be. The reason you allow the self doubt to take hold is you listen to others who doubt you or bigger still you listen to yourself and you doubt yourself. You know the little voice inside of you saying you can’t. Yet you know you can. Your doubt, your feelings have the power over you. Take back your power. Go from self doubt to self confidence.
5 ways to step through self doubt and grow in confidence.
1. Acknowledge the doubt.
Acknowledge the doubt especially the self doubt. With self doubt, the voice in your head saying you cannot, answer back. Say I can, and I am, I am learning new skills every day and I can do this. Believe in yourself. Say I can every day and every day you will grow in confidence.
Visualize your ideal day with you achieving the things you would like to do.
2. Don’t worry what others say or think of you.
Don’t worry what others say or think of you. It is not the way to progress forward. To move forward with confidence, try new opportunities and grow from them. Learn new things, discover new skills. The dreams and vision you hold for your future self can only proceed when you let go of what others think. Do nothing and you may feel sorry for yourself for not trying.
I have a question I ask myself every day. ‘What two things can I do today to feel amazing and bring me closer to my goals?” Every day I believe I get closer towards my goals by taking action.
It is a simple strategy, yet this one question helps me find time for my goals.
3. Draw on your past successes.
Rember your past successes, compliments, awards, accomplishments, all the little things that you have achieved are worth holding onto and drawing on when self-doubt sets in. Draw on the compliment of ‘doing a fantastic job’, ‘your worth your weight in gold’, these are ways to show you can do it. You have before you can again.
Look at self doubt like a plateau in achieving a result. Ask yourself why have I the self doubt? Remind yourself that you have the power within to succeed. Picture success.
Related post: Why visualizing your ideal life is good for your future.
I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.
Tony Robbins
Self-doubt is a fear. Fear of failure, fear of disappointment. No matter the fear it is possible to draw on your past successes and move from self doubt to self confidence.
For me, self-doubt is a fear, a fear of failure, a fear of disappointing others, yet I have mentioned not to worry what others say or think. My fear of failure and self-doubt stems from childhood when I got laughed at for getting an answer wrong in class. In fact, lessons had not started, I was at my seat waiting for the class to start when a peer asked me to answer a hangman question, most of the letters were on the board, the whole class listened and laughed when I got it wrong. I did not know the answer. I did not follow pop music, however, this experience stopped me from speaking up on many occasions as not to be riddled, laughed at or to disappoint myself and others.
Let fear be a counselor not a jailer.
Tony Robbins
4. Be a sponge.
Be a sponge, that is read positive quotes and absorb self-development books daily or listen to positive audiobooks, podcasts or YouTube videos. Positive talk is so motivational and inspiring. If you have a dream, a vision, a desire to grow in confidence, find people who excel with confidence and listen to them. Be a sponge and learn what you need to so you can progress forward towards your goals.
I have turned my car into a learning machine by listening to podcasts, listening to webinars, listening to self-development on YouTube. I have found this a great way to boost confidence and learn new skills.
Related post: 10 Jim Rohn quotes to inspire change and growth in life.
5. Write in a gratitude journal.
Writing in a gratitude journal is a great way to start and end the day. At the end of the day write things down that you are grateful for include your feelings in your gratitude. Focus on the positive not negative as if you focus on lack you may feel empty. By expressing positive feelings more positivity will be drawn to you. To start with write three things you are grateful for that day.
Related posts: 5 Ways to start a personal journal.
21 things we take for granted that we shouldn’t.
Saying no to self doubt enables you to take steps towards your goals.
Take your power, step through self-doubt by doing. Take the promotion, start your blog, start your own business, take the holiday you have always wanted. Focus on success, not on the fears and self-doubt. Success comes from moving in the direction of your vision, your dreams.
Life is not about having the answers, it is about taking action and learning by doing. Seek and you shall find. Choose to focus on your power within and move forward with self-confidence.
Read next The top five keys to happiness.
Angie blogs about setting goals and mastering habits as well as productivity and living abroad. She started blogging while learning the skills to start an online business. Her goal to work online came about due to wanting to see overseas family and travel around Australia. Her mission is to help others succeed with their goals. Angie often shares tips and tricks while walking the beaches or near the lake on the Central Coast NSW Australia.
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