Six Tips for Overcoming Self-Doubt

Six Tips for Overcoming Self-Doubt

Self-doubt is a common obstacle to achieving success. When I think about my own experience, I recognize that there have been certain tools that have been effective in terms of staying motivated even in the midst of doubt. Here are some simple strategies which I believe can be effective.

1. Surround yourself with people who appreciate, love, and support you
   Over the years I've been fortunate to have great teachers and mentors who provided encouraging words to help me along the way. Family and close friends have also been incredibly supportive for me. It's important to foster relationships with people who offer love and support as this is critical for healthy growth and development.
   
   
2. Visualize greatness
   In medical school I would shoot hoops for fun and I found it quite interesting to see that if I visualized Michael Jordan shooting from the three-point line, I could dramatically increase my three-point percentage! I did this experiment over and over again with consistent results. Just visualizing greatness improved my performance on the court and I use now the same trick during public speaking and other pursuits.
   
   
3. Set goals and priorities
   I'm a firm believer that we all have the ability to do anything that we set our minds to-however being able to do anything does not mean that we can do everything. It is important to make a list of priorities and then focus on those things that are most important. This way precious time is not thinly spread across too many pursuits. Many have come to understand this with the concept of “big rocks first.” 
   
   
4. Use a calendar to plan ahead and avoid procrastination
   This hits home as very important for me. I think one of the ways in which self-doubt can manifest itself is in the form of procrastination. For years I wanted to focus on writing more however I would find that when I finally sat down I had writers block or would procrastinate and not actually write anything. Sometimes I would even organize my desk or fold clothes rather than sit down and work on writing. I feel that this was related to ongoing self-doubt. By scheduling a time to write and actually having deadlines for completed projects, I was able to move beyond this common roadblock.
   
   
5. Live in the moment, not in the past
   A popular quote on social media states, "don't judge me by my past, I don't live there anymore." Self-doubt can be rooted in painful experiences we've had in the past. Let's not dwell on the past when we can live in the present and build a bright future.
   
   
6. Hire a coach
   Yes it’s true, paying someone to provide guidance and assistance can be a very powerful strategy toward success. If your goal is weight loss, then hiring a nutritionist can be helpful. If your goal is fitness related hiring a personal trainer can be beneficial. A good coach may be able to help streamline one’s goals and priorities as well as to provide firm directions and/or deadlines. Accountability is a powerful tool for growth. 

There are many other strategies for overcoming self-doubt including reading or writing daily affirmations and keeping a gratitude journal. I have tried to focus on those that have helped me the most. I would love to hear your thoughts. What are your most effective strategies for overcoming doubt?