Self-doubt can come in many shapes and forms, but chances are that it’s caused by one of these three things. And, that’s some good information to have.
If you know what’s causing you to doubt that you can accomplish what you’ve set out to do, you can work on overcoming it and with it gain the confidence you need to get started.
Lack of Confidence
The first big reason why you may doubt yourself, is that you don’t have enough confidence in yourself and what you’re doing. A lack of confidence can be a big issue.
Realizing that it is your lack in faith in yourself and your abilities that’s causing your doubt issues can help you overcome them by working on boosting your confidence.
Lack of Knowledge or Experience
Another common reason is that you simple don’t have the experience you think you need, or that you don’t think you know everything there is to know before you get started on something, apply for that new job, or implement a new strategy in your business.
Once you’ve determined that’s the cause of your self-doubt you can work on remedying the situation by learning more, getting help, or gaining the experience you need to feel comfortable getting started.
And Then There Is Fear
Last but not least there is fear. Fear can keep us from doing all sorts of things. It paralyzes us and keeps us from reaching our goals. Whenever you realize that fear is the culprit, do yourself a favor and dig a little deeper. It’s not always easy, and it can get a little uncomfortable, but try to get to the root of your fear.
What are you afraid of and where is that fear coming from? That can tell you a lot and show you what you need to do to get over you fear and do what you’ve set out to do anyway.
For example if you fear that things will go badly, don’t just leave it at some vague fear of the unknown. Instead, force yourself to face your fear and imagine the worst possible outcome. Is it something you can live with if it were to happen? If so, go ahead and get to work.
If not, think about what you can do to prevent this worst case scenario from happening. With that remedied, see if your fear is still paralyzing you. If not move on… if it is, rinse and repeat until you’re ready to take action.
There you have it – the three most common causes for self-doubt. Now that you have an idea of what’s causing your own doubts in yourself and your abilities, it’s time for the next step – working on overcoming the fear, getting the knowledge or experience you need, or boosting your own confidence.
