The journey to overcoming self-doubt doesn’t end once you’ve had a few successes. In fact, one of the most important parts of this process is the ability to maintain the confidence you’ve built, even in the face of new challenges. This is where the concept of building long-term confidence comes into play. Confidence isn’t just about feeling good in the moment; it’s about cultivating a sense of trust in yourself that endures through ups and downs.
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.
Each time you face and overcome self-doubt, you’re laying the groundwork for future confidence. This is why it’s so important to view challenges not as threats, but as opportunities to grow. The more obstacles you overcome, the more evidence you collect that you are capable of handling difficult situations. Over time, this evidence builds a strong internal narrative that says, “I’ve done this before, and I can do it again.”
But how do you ensure that this newfound confidence sticks around when doubt inevitably tries to creep back in? The answer lies in reflection and mindfulness. After every success, take a moment to reflect on what you achieved and how you overcame the doubt that tried to hold you back. Acknowledge the effort you put in and the strategies you used to push through. This reflection helps solidify your sense of accomplishment and reinforces the idea that self-doubt doesn’t define your capabilities.
Confidence also comes from recognizing that challenges are part of life, and overcoming them is a continuous process. Even when you’ve built a strong foundation of self-belief, new situations will arise that test you. You might feel that familiar tug of uncertainty, but the key difference is that you’ll now have the tools to manage it. Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt; it’s the ability to act despite it.
Actionable Step: Start a journal where you document moments when you’ve overcome self-doubt. Each time you face a challenge, write down what you were feeling, what action you took and the result. Over time, this will serve as a powerful reminder of your ability to push through tough situations. When self-doubt resurfaces, you can look back at your journal and see concrete evidence of your resilience. This practice can also help you recognize patterns in your behavior, allowing you to anticipate when self-doubt is likely to strike and prepare for it in advance.
A common pitfall here is failing to acknowledge your successes, especially when they feel small. Many people are quick to dismiss their wins or attribute them to luck, rather than recognizing the effort and courage involved. To build long-lasting confidence, it’s essential to give yourself credit where it’s due. Don’t minimize your achievements, even if they seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Every victory, no matter the size, is a step toward stronger self-belief.
This is where the idea of “building confidence through overcoming obstacles” comes full circle. Each time you encounter and push past self-doubt, you not only grow stronger in that moment but also prepare yourself for future challenges. Confidence is like a muscle — the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. And just like with physical fitness, consistency is key. The more frequently you challenge yourself and act despite doubt, the more natural it will feel to face difficult situations without hesitation.
It’s important to remember that setbacks are inevitable. Even with all the tools and strategies in place, there will be times when self-doubt seems overwhelming. Maybe you face a particularly challenging situation, or perhaps a failure shakes your confidence. In these moments, it’s crucial to practice self-compassion. Rather than berating yourself for experiencing doubt or for not achieving a desired outcome, acknowledge the difficulty of the situation and remind yourself that doubt is a normal part of the human experience.
Self-compassion helps you bounce back from setbacks more quickly. It allows you to learn from your experiences without internalizing them as personal failures. When you treat yourself with kindness and understanding, you create a supportive environment where growth can continue, even in the face of doubt. This mindset shift from harsh self-criticism to self-compassion is often the difference between getting stuck in a cycle of doubt and moving forward with renewed determination.
One final insight is to surround yourself with a supportive network. While self-doubt is an internal experience, external support can play a significant role in helping you overcome it. Seek out friends, mentors or colleagues who encourage you to take risks, offer constructive feedback, and remind you of your strengths. Sometimes, when your own confidence is wavering, having someone else believe in you can make all the difference. These relationships provide a buffer against self-doubt and can help you see yourself through the eyes of others — often with more kindness and objectivity than you might view yourself.
In the end, overcoming self-doubt is not about never feeling doubt again, but about learning to navigate it. By recognizing self-doubt as a temporary feeling, taking action despite it, and cultivating optimism and self-compassion, you can minimize its impact on your life. Each step you take in the face of self-doubt builds your confidence, making it easier to face future challenges with courage. As you continue to accumulate small wins and reflect on your progress, you’ll find that self-doubt becomes less and less of a barrier. It’s no longer something that stops you in your tracks; instead, it becomes a voice you acknowledge, but don’t listen to.
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 Markus Spiske on Unsplash
