Quite often I receive an email from someone believing that there is an article or a video that I must read or watch. Last week was no exception and this particular video really hit home. The very long title was … “She Didn’t Think She Was Good Enough To Audition, But Then She Blew EVERYONE Away!! What captured my immediate attention was ‘she didn’t think she was good enough’. It immediately reminded me of so many I have met within organizations who were knowledgeable, skilled … and doubtful. Okay … it reminded me of me at times in my life. There I said it. And the culprit? Something called self-doubt. Have you ever met it? Do you know it a little or even well? 
Self-doubt can hardly be considered a friend. In fact it acts to keep us just where we are in so many ways. In a business environment it works like this:
In a business environment it works like this:
- We want to advance in our current company and yet, are really afraid or just hesitant to let our wishes be known.
- We want to further our education so that new opportunities will open for us … and the thought of being a student again is just scary.
- We are offered a promotion and while excited about that, spend hours convincing ourselves that we won’t be able to do the job.
So what’s going on here? Why would we allow one LOUD internal voice to dictate our achievements, our successes, our fulfillments and in the overall, our happiness? The truth is we don’t have to settle for this. We don’t have to allow it to be our voice. If we can admit that self-doubt is a controlling voice among our internal cast of characters, here are some things we can do about it.
- Recognize ‘self-doubt’ for what it is … self-doubt . . . and don’t give it any more power.
- Recognize that it has been given a controlling role on our stage.
- Recognize the skills and interests that we do have … ones that make us eligible to tackle greater responsibility and the related achievements that come with it.
- Recognize the benefit of pushing ourselves through the nervousness and uncertainty could lead us to precisely what we are wanting to have.
To the extent that you see yourself in this and you want to circumvent the negative, there are a couple of tools that will help you do this. Find someone with whom you are comfortable and make them your ally. Allow them to mentor you … to reinforce the notion that you can pursue and succeed at whatever you are shying away from. Let them help you to identify and disempower the voice of self-doubt … as often as needed. And/or, hire a coach to help you move around and beyond what is holding you back.
When we can get out of our own way we stand to ‘blow ‘em away … because we can. We all have a ‘world’ out there that is wanting to get as much as they can from us in a positive way. Inhabit THAT world and watch out for the results!!!
Mike Dorman
