Everyone has times in their life when they feel incapable and incompetent, but some feel that way more often than others. Might this be you? Are you so busy putting yourself down that you fail to realize that you’re doing it? That’s no way to thrive. It can get discouraging and depressing to be in this state of uncertainty. And, until you decide to conquer self-doubt, your confidence will be a victim of your choices.
You may think there is a good reason you feel inept because your self-doubt stems from particular negative experiences early in your life. For instance, when you were young, someone might have teased you and made you feel inadequate, and you still doubt your ability today.
To a child, that feels like a traumatic experience, and it can trigger a vicious cycle of self-doubt that lingers into adulthood. Conquering self-doubt from here isn’t easy.
It can take just one unwittingly hurtful remark from a parent, teacher, or another child to make a powerful impact—both good and bad.
But, you can choose to stop the inside voice that says “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not smart enough.”
Consider these strategies to help you conquer self-doubt and become more confident.
Stop Beating Yourself Up
Self-criticism does you no good at all.
And taking to heart any disapproval you may hear from others is not in your best interest either. Don’t let someone else ruin your day by adding their voice to the loop already playing in your head. Recognize that they may be having a bad day and resorted to taking it out on you.
Remember that people expressing negativity speaks volumes about them—not about you!
- Make a concerted effort to notice every time you criticize yourself or are affected by someone else’s negativity. Decide to take back your power by challenging the self-doubt that comes up.
- When that voice in your head says you’re going to fail, confront it. Ask yourself, is this true? The more you question the voices in your head, the sooner you will conquer self-doubt. And, those voices will become only a whisper and eventually disappear.
- By turning around the negative chatter, you can reclaim your life by believing that you CAN succeed. You can do whatever you decide must be done.
- Make a conscious effort to hang out with like-minded and up-minded people you trust will tell you the truth. These people may believe in you more than you do yourself right now, and that’s okay. Borrow their belief in you for a while until you start to feel it yourself.
To Conquer Self-doubt, Be Prepared and Seek Excellence, Not Perfection
Knowing that you tend to self-doubt, it’s a good practice to plan for it so you can mitigate it.
Positive thinking is an excellent start, but you also must put your plan into action. Enter self-doubt. When you’re taking small steps toward your end goal, you’ll need to make informed choices. The voices might get a bit loud at this point, and you’ll second-guess what choice to make.
Making a note of all your positive qualities is a great way to conquer self-doubt. So, think about all the things you’re good at. On what characteristics or talents do your friends and colleagues compliment you? Write them down, putting the words “I am” in front of each one.
- Although there will undoubtedly be more than this, make a list of at least five fabulous things about you. Then, make it a new practice to read your list every day.
- And, here’s a power tip: read your list out loud and looking in the mirror to firmly implant these beliefs in your subconscious. That power tip will go a long way to helping you conquer self-doubt.
Affirming what you’re good at will help prepare your mind to achieve success. Plus, there are more strategies to conquering self-doubt that will build your confidence.
Ready, Set, Goal!
- Make your goals realistic and achievable, but a stretch. Set a timeframe, map out the specific steps you need to take to reach the goal, know how you’ll measure your success, and go for it. Remember that setting unrealistic goals can feed your self-doubt when it was unreasonable to expect to achieve them in the first place. Start small, and build from there.
- Put your plan into action. When you move toward your vision, you create momentum, and you’re motivated to keep going. Those who don’t take action can become depressed, and self-doubt can set in once again. Your hard work will pay off every time you engage your creativity and let your vision unfold.
- Some people who are on the road to conquering self-doubt tend to think they don’t deserve success. That’s not you! Because you do deserve success! And, you deserve to reward yourself for working so hard to conquer self-doubt. Plus, if you’re paying attention, as your self-doubt fades away, you’re probably noticing that your confidence is starting to soar. Well done!
Remember, when you take small steps, one methodically after the other, you make slow and steady progress toward your goal. If there is a misstep along the way, it’s easy to make a corrective move. When you try to do it in one giant leap, the course correction can be more painful, set you back, and dredge up all the self-doubt you worked so hard to conquer.
The secret to conquering self-doubt is to take baby steps and meet small goals one at a time. Turn the volume down on your inner chatter. Then, as you achieve successive wins, your confidence returns, and those voices inside your head are cheering you on. It’s a journey, for sure, but one that is worth the taking.
Take the First Step to Conquering Self-doubt
If you struggle to conquer self-doubt or build back your confidence, it might be that you’re stuck in a time of significant change. It might feel impossible to move forward, and making choices can be challenging. This book will help. Take the first step, explore how change can impact you, and learn how to move through it with more ease, dignity, and grace. Download your free book here and Get Unstuck! 5 Steps to Adapt to Change & Move Through Transition.