Have you ever felt a wave of self-doubt crash over you, leaving you hesitant to take that next step? It’s a familiar feeling. We’ve all been there, standing on the precipice of something great, only to second-guess ourselves. But here’s the truth: self-doubt is only as powerful as you allow it to be. Imagine it as a shadow — you can acknowledge its presence, but you don’t have to let it darken your path.
Before you can start to plan your success goals, there are many things that you need to understand before you can be sure that the goals you set are really the ones you want.
One of those things is to determine if there are any Limiting Beliefs that can stop you from actually achieving those goals.
I have a self-study Limiting Belief Program that you can go through to determine what your Limiting Beliefs are and how you can remove them.
You can read more and register for the program at Limiting Beliefs Program on my Confidence and Life Coaching website.
Start your journey on your path to success by identifying and removing your Limiting Beliefs so that you make the journey a lot easier.
You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.
The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)
Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.
If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program.
The first step in dealing with self-doubt is recognizing that it’s a natural part of being human. Everyone experiences it, from the most successful CEOs to high school students facing their first big exam. The key is not to let that doubt paralyze you. Instead, accept that it exists and move forward despite it. Sounds simple, but how do you actually do that?
To begin with, self-doubt is a voice — one that usually pipes up just when we’re on the brink of something important. That voice might tell you that you’re not good enough, that others are better or that you’re bound to fail. What’s crucial to understand is that this voice doesn’t reflect reality. It’s a collection of your fears and insecurities, often born from past experiences or perceived inadequacies. The moment you permit self-doubt to dictate your actions, you give it control over your progress.
However, the opposite is also true. Each time you take courageous action, you push back against that doubt. Even small steps toward a goal can chip away at the power self-doubt holds. Think about a time when you were unsure but took a leap of faith anyway. Maybe you auditioned for a play or volunteered to lead a group project. Did it turn out as badly as you feared? More often than not, the results aren’t as catastrophic as our self-doubt leads us to believe. In fact, those courageous actions can lead to significant achievements that you would never have thought possible had you given in to doubt.
Self-doubt doesn’t just limit your actions; it also warps your perception of success. By its nature, self-doubt keeps you focused on what could go wrong rather than what could go right. This focus on negative outcomes can prevent you from even attempting the things that matter most. But here’s the kicker: the more you act despite your doubts, the more you realize that many of your fears are unfounded. You start to build a track record of success, however small, and that track record becomes a foundation for confidence.
This brings us to an important realization — overcoming self-doubt is empowering. Think of self-doubt as a hurdle, and overcoming it is the act of leaping over it. Once you’ve cleared that hurdle, you begin to see how capable you truly are. Each victory, no matter how small, reinforces the belief that you can succeed. And with each success, you move closer to the realization that self-doubt is not as formidable as it once seemed. The power it once held diminishes because you’ve proven to yourself, time and again, that it’s just noise in the background. It’s liberating to understand that your success is not bound by doubt unless you let it be.
Actionable Step: When self-doubt arises, take one small, immediate action toward your goal. Don’t wait for the doubt to dissipate — it probably won’t. Instead, do something, anything, that moves you forward. Often, the act of moving will weaken the doubt. For instance, if you’re feeling uncertain about starting a project, try just writing the first sentence. If you’re nervous about approaching someone for help, send a quick message without overthinking it. These small actions will signal to your brain that self-doubt doesn’t control you.
A common pitfall is waiting until you feel “ready” or “confident” before taking action. But the truth is, readiness comes with doing. The longer you wait, the more time doubt has to build itself up in your mind. It’s like letting a weed grow in your garden — the sooner you pull it out, the easier it is to manage. By taking action, you stop self-doubt from taking root.
One of the most liberating aspects of overcoming self-doubt is the realization that other people aren’t focused on you nearly as much as you think they are. This can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when doubt is telling you that everyone is watching, judging or waiting for you to fail. But the reality is, most people are too absorbed in their own lives to pay close attention to what you’re doing. They have their own doubts, challenges and goals to worry about. Once you internalize this truth, it becomes easier to move forward without the weight of external judgment.
This realization can bring a sense of peace. You don’t need to carry the burden of other people’s expectations — because, more often than not, those expectations are imagined. With this weight lifted, you can focus on your own progress and take steps that align with your values and goals, not someone else’s opinion of what you should be doing.
A key tool in combating self-doubt is cultivating optimism. It’s easy to see optimism as something naive or unrealistic, but in reality, it’s an essential counterbalance to doubt. When you expect positive outcomes, your mind is more likely to focus on solutions rather than obstacles. Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring challenges or pretending everything is perfect; it means recognizing that, despite difficulties, success is possible. By nurturing an optimistic outlook, you can keep self-doubt in check and maintain the momentum needed to achieve your goals.
Of course, embracing optimism is easier said than done, especially when you’re in the thick of self-doubt. But optimism, like any habit, can be cultivated over time. Start by intentionally shifting your focus when doubts arise. Instead of dwelling on what could go wrong, ask yourself, “What’s the best thing that could happen if I try this?” Over time, this shift in perspective can help diminish the grip self-doubt has on you.
One final thought: remember that you have the power to control how much self-doubt influences your decisions. It’s not about never feeling doubt again — that’s unrealistic. It’s about recognizing that doubt is just one voice among many, and it doesn’t have to be the loudest one. By taking small, courageous actions, embracing optimism and understanding that others are not as focused on your failures as you think, you can reduce the influence of self-doubt and continue making progress toward your goals.
To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 30-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.
Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.
Working together can help you overcome personal and professional barriers, ensuring you reach your highest potential.
Nothing happens until action is taken.
To your success.
Michael
P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching
P.P.S. If you enjoy reading these articles on my blog, I have more books that have more of this type of information that you can find out more about at Books to Read. You can buy these ebooks at many on-line book stores. The links to the bookstores are at the link above.
If you have an Amazon Kindle account, there are different books at Amazon – Michael W (author)
P.P.P.S. You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.
The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)
Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.
P.P.P.P.S. If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program.
Photo by Lil Mayer on Unsplash
