How to overcome self-doubt

Self-doubt is crippling. It can stop you from achieving your aspirations in a lifetime more than any illness that kills.

The problem with self-doubt is that it is so often left unchecked. We know it is there, but it’s much easier to live with it than tackle it head-on. It’s difficult to challenge it and believe in ourselves.

The irony is the energy that it requires to believe in oneself probably amounts to the same as the energy it takes to doubt oneself. Yet one is much healthier than the other.

Over the last 3 years, I have coached female professionals at the very top of their careers. And not one of them has been immune to self-doubt.

I also doubt my abilities constantly - and have learned the following to help me in establishing a healthy counterbalance to self-sabotage

1. Know what your self-doubt looks like

In order to address the problem of self-doubt, first, you need to understand how it manifests in you personally. What thoughts do you have that don't help you and what behaviours does this create? Expose this thinking by writing it down. Keep a small journal with you to expose the thoughts you have as regularly as possible and then re-read what you have written in the evenings.

2. Re-examine your thinking

When you re-read your thoughts, ask yourself how true that thinking is? Give it a number (the brain loves to quantify) and look at the thought through a critical lens. This is one of the best ways to step outside of your mind (a very difficult thing to do).

3. Note what impact that thinking is having on your everyday behaviour, and then consider the impact over your lifetime. Write this down too - this helps you to get very clear on the true impact of your constant negative thinking.

Let's be clear - the things you think are rarely based on fact. Our thinking is most often emotional and based on your previous experiences. Taking the time to expose, reflect and then project the outcome of this thinking will have a massive and drastic effect on your behaviour.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF MY OWN THINKING…

1. No one really wants to hear what I have to say.

How true is that thinking? What are the facts?

2. I have a growing community of women who pay to listen to my masterclasses.

Most of my clients come to me on referral. This wouldn't happen if no one wanted to hear what I have to say. Therefore - "No one really wants to hear what I have to say" - about 50% (Because whilst it is true that some people want to hear what I have to say, not everyone does)

3. If I allow myself to think the above, I will not continue with the Masterclasses. That means those who do want to hear it miss out. It also means that I will lose clients and my business will suffer.

THE ANSWER IS NO.

So despite thinking it, I run the Masterclasses anyway.

This approach is commonly seen in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and can make a huge difference in the actions and behaviours of the thinker.

The only true problem is, that it takes effort to tackle your thinking and processes.

So simply ask yourself - are you happy to continue you the way you are?

Or do you want to do something about it?

And if you want to do something about it, will it be worth the effort?

Sssshhhh - I'll let you in on a secret...

It almost certainly WILL BE!