Do you often criticize yourself or lack self-confidence? Do you doubt your own abilities to be successful or reach your goals?
Self-doubt impacts how we think, how we feel, and how we act. It affects us all from time to time.
Self-criticism, second-guessing, and negative thoughts can leave you feelings overwhelmed about your goals and life in general.
“If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win.”
—Carl Lewis
The Effects of Self-Doubt
If it’s not something you’re paying attention to, self-doubt could be quietly and systematically affecting your whole identify in a negative way.
It could be affecting the way you think, distorting your thinking, and damaging your mental health.
Where is all this doubt coming from?
Self-doubt can originate from past life experiences and social interactions, past rejections, mistakes or failures, and how you were raised.
Imposter Syndrome
Even people who are successful and confident can feel self-doubt. Sometimes we deal with what’s known as imposter syndrome.
Impostor syndrome—the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications.\
Self-doubt could make someone whose highly successful and considered an expert in their career field feel that they don’t actually belong or like they’re a fraud.
How to over-come Self-Doubt
First of all – not every thought that pops into your head is a statement of truth.
Typically, feelings of self-doubt are biased thoughts that reflect your own insecurity. They may or may not hold any fact.
Learning to think critically and seeing the facts can help combat self-doubt. Write down your thoughts and analyze them. Then reframe those thoughts by writing down reasonable, fact-based information about the situation – rather than emotion-based.
Instead of assuming the worst possible outcome, you can consider the realistic possibilities. Instead of making broad, sweeping,negative conclusions about yourself, you can put the event into perspective and move forward with your life.
Conquering Doubt with Confidence
When you’re able to think realistically, and positively – it’s easier to be confident. Developing self-confidence is the ultimate way to conquer your self-doubt.
Being confident allows your to:
Confidence is your reward for overcoming your fears.
The more you do the things listed above – the easier they become. You’ll help yourself develop confidence by continuing to re-frame those self-doubt thoughts and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.
