How to Overcome Self-Doubt

Four years ago, I knew it was time to change careers.

I had spent years in a career that didn’t fulfil me, but I was paralysed by perfection. ?

I kept looking for the “perfect” job—a role that would tick all the boxes, have no drawbacks, and lead to total satisfaction.

But you know what that search led to?

Absolutely nothing.

I remained in the same place, paralysed by indecision and constantly chasing something that didn’t exist.

I spent endless hours listening to YouTube videos and reading books on overcoming self-doubt.

Nothing worked.

My efforts always felt heavy, like driving with the handbrake on.

Something was always holding me back—a nagging feeling that maybe I wasn’t good enough.

I hated feeling that way.

I spoke to others who had made a career change and their advice surprised me.

Almost none of them had eliminated their doubts or fears before making the switch.

Instead, they got better at acting despite their doubts.

Once I came to this realisation, everything changed.

I realised that self-doubt wasn’t something to be avoided –it was something to be confronted head-on.

Resistance Is the Real Enemy

Self-doubt is actually a symptom of something deeper – resistance.

Resistance is the cause of an unlived life.

It’s the energy that draws us away from doing what’s necessary to get where we want.

It sucks the life out of you. Like a dementor from Harry Potter.

Half the battle in doing anything is fighting off all the distractions, internal dialogues, and people who get in the way of just doing what needs to be done.

It applies to any goal or objective.

Doing more exercise. Eating better. Looking for a new job. Starting a business.

Resistance is invisible, but the symptoms are tangible.

Resistance is the ‘thing’ that puts self-doubt into our minds and convinces us that we have no value.

It leads to procrastination.

Resistance doesn’t care what you want; it exists to stop you from getting it.

You know it’s resistance when you find yourself procrastinating, reaching for your phone instead of working on that project, or binge-watching Netflix instead of sending that job application.

These distractions seem harmless in the moment, but they are the symptoms of a bigger problem.

Every time you give in, you’re feeding resistance.

And the end result?

A deep bitterness and anger that comes from an unfulfilled life.

The Battle Within

Internal resistance is the most personal and insidious. It’s the voice in your head that tells you you're not ready, you’re not good enough, or change is too risky. It usually manifests in three forms:

1. Fear – Fear of failure, fear of change, fear of success even.
2. Lack of confidence – Feeling like you need to “be better” before you make a move.
3. Other people’s opinions – Worrying what your friends, family, or society will think of your choices.

These are just thoughts.

They don’t define you, and they’re not reality.

The key? Let them exist without believing them.

Thoughts are temporary, but you are in control of whether they stop you.

You can choose whether or not to believe them.

Let them pass through without acting on them.

The World Around You

While your relationship with your thoughts and actions is in your control, everything outside of that is not.

People, places, objects, and environments can all create roadblocks on your path to change.

For example, toxic relationships can drain your energy, your cluttered workspace might be distracting you, or maybe your phone is your biggest source of procrastination.

You can’t control everything, but you can manage external resistance.

Start by doing an energy audit, a tool created by Rich Litvin.

Here’s how it works:

1. Write down all the people, places, and objects that drain your energy.
2. For each item, ask yourself why you still interact with it and what benefit it brings you.
3. Decide how to eliminate that energy drain or turn it into something that fuels you.

This exercise helps you identify external distractions that are slowing your progress with a clear action plan to remove them.

Facing Resistance Head-On

So, how do you defeat resistance?

The answer is simple: face it every single day.

Resistance is a good sign.

It means you’re chasing something worthwhile.

You won’t suddenly reach a point where resistance disappears, but you can get better at fighting it.

You’re always going to feel fear, self-doubt, and the pull of procrastination. The key is to stop waiting for the day when these things go away and start building your muscle for acting despite them.

Let’s say you want to start a side hustle but can’t stop worrying about failure. The solution isn’t to eliminate the fear—it’s to act anyway. Take one small step today, whether that’s setting up a website, making a social media page, or talking to potential clients. The action itself chips away at the fear.

If you want to change careers, start with something actionable today—update your CV, research new roles, or reach out to someone who has a job that interests you.

By moving forward, even in small ways, you’ll build momentum and start to shift from feeling paralysed to making progress.

When You Lose, Everyone Loses

When you let resistance win, you’re not the only one who loses out.

You’re denying the world the unique value you bring.

Think about it. Your talents, skills, and ideas could be exactly what someone else needs.

?Maybe there’s someone out there who could benefit from your experience, your perspective, or the product or service you could create.

When you give in to resistance, you’re not just robbing yourself—you’re robbing others of the impact you could have.

Embrace Imperfection

The most valuable advice I ever got?

“You only know your next step as you take a step forward.”

The myth of perfection keeps us frozen in place, waiting for everything to align perfectly before we act.

But perfection doesn’t exist.

The longer you wait for the “perfect” job, the “perfect” opportunity, the “perfect” time, the longer you’ll stay stuck.

Instead of waiting, start acting.

Take imperfect steps.

Every job you take and every action you take will teach you something.

Some roles will be a better fit than others, but each one will bring you closer to where you want to be.

How to Take Action Right Now

So, where do you start?

1. Forget perfection – It’s not real. Start by looking for the best option you can find right now. What’s a job or project that’s good enough to get you moving in the right direction?
2. Iterate and learn – Treat each step as an experiment. You don’t need to get it right immediately; you just need to get started. Each action will teach you something new.
3. Keep moving – Progress is more important than perfection. Taking consistent, small steps will always beat waiting for everything to be perfect.

Resistance is a sign that you’re on the right path.

Face it, fight it, and keep moving forward.

Progress, not perfection, will get you to where you want to be.

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