In the words of William Shakespeare: “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”
And he was right! Those terrible mind monkeys that creep up now and again can be highly destructive, especially when running your own business. They cause you to doubt yourself, your ability to run a successful business and lead a workforce. You may compare yourself to others and think that what they are doing is far better. This isn’t the case, and you need to say, ‘Stop! Enough is enough’.
Here are nine quick fire tips to help you overcome self-doubt and shine.
1. Look at the successes you have already achieved
Grab a blank piece of paper and list all the things that you have already achieved to date. You will be amazed at how much you write down. Once you’ve completed this task, put the sheet of paper somewhere visible so you are constantly reminding yourself of what you are capable of when self-doubt tries to creep back in.
2. Ask clients for feedback
This may sound scary at first because you don’t know what they are going to say.
Trust me, and you will be amazed at the great feedback you receive. Do encourage clients to give constructive feedback as well. This is important to make sure that you are meeting your client’s needs and, if you are not doing so, this constructive feedback identifies those holes, and you can start working on improving those areas. Don’t waste hours worrying about things that may not even be an issue.
3. Keep an Empowerment Diary
Looking at your past successes is a great start. Then, to keep that momentum going, purchase a diary or journal and make a note of everything you do well. Also, make a note of hurdles you come across and how you deal with them effectively. This will help arm you with the necessary knowledge and give you the confidence to deal with similar issues, should they arise, in the future.
4. Find a new perspective
Sometimes you are just too close to things to see how well you are doing. You need to stand back and look at your business and your career from different perspectives. If you have difficulty doing this, working with an Executive Coach can help. Details of Delphinium’s coaching services can be found here.
5. Revisit your personal and professional goals
Self-doubt often arises when you are unsure what you are striving for, and therefore, you have nothing to measure your success against. Make sure you are setting effective performance goals and regularly reviewing them to ensure you are on track to achieve them. Having visibility of how you are progressing towards reaching your goals will keep self-doubt at bay.
6. Get support
You can achieve a lot on your own, but you can achieve so much more with the support of others. Surround yourself with like-minded people and find yourself a cheerleader or two to remove self-doubt and keep you motivated when it matters most. At Delphinium, we specialise in working with people like you to help them identify exactly what they want to achieve and put effective plans in place to ensure they achieve their goals within the time required.
7. Take a break
How often have you sat worrying about something for hours, yet when you come away from it for a short time, you gain a whole new perspective, see the ‘problem’ from a different angle or even realise that it wasn’t such a ‘problem’ after all? When those mind monkeys are chattering away, and you feel yourself going into a spiral of negativity, stop and take a break. Disrupting your thought pattern in this way can prevent self-doubt from taking over. Do something relaxing and fun, then come back to the ‘problem’ and it will have changed for you.
8. Develop your skills
If self-doubt keeps creeping in because you don’t feel adequately qualified or you are concerned that things may have changed, invest in upskilling yourself. Whether it’s reading, attending a training course, or working with a Coach or Mentor, developing your skills and knowledge will bring increased confidence and help you overcome self-doubt.
9. Setbacks are only temporary
You may make an error, which we all do as we are human after all! You may receive some negative feedback, or you may not accomplish something that you wanted to. No matter the setback, do not let it define you. They are only temporary, so pick yourself up, dust yourself off, look at what you can learn from your experience, and get back on that horse.
Remember that if you don’t feel great and confident in yourself and what you are doing, it will show to the people around you. It isn’t just the words that communicate our message but also our body language, attitude, and tone of voice. If people see this self-doubt in you, it can cause them to doubt you and your business. Don’t create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If you would like to seek further support to eradicate self-doubt, contact us or book a free discovery call now.
Author: Gemma Rolstone | Published 9th November 2020
