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Do you often find yourself wrestling with the little voice in your head that picks at your confidence and causes you to doubt yourself? Self-doubt is part and parcel of the human experience and, while sometimes helpful for keeping us on the straight and narrow, too much can be limiting.
As Van Gogh is once reported to have said, “If you hear a voice within you saying ‘You cannot paint’, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
While none of us will be totally immune to self-doubt, there are ways to prevent it from impacting decision-making and opportunities in life. With that said, here are eight ways to overcome self-doubt.
What is self-doubt?
Self-doubt refers to a lack of confidence in yourself and your abilities. According to experts, common signs of self-doubt include feeling unable to accept compliments, constantly seeking reassurance, having low self-esteem, and never feeling like you’re good enough.
Self-doubt isn’t always a bad thing: for example, it can make us more humble and open to learning, and protect us from potentially dangerous situations. However, it’s all about balance. If self-doubt holds you back from setting goals and chasing opportunities, it’s no longer beneficial.
As William Shakespeare put it, “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good oft might win, by fearing an attempt.”
What can cause self-doubt?
Several things can cause self-doubt. We’ll explore some of the most common causes below.
Past experiences
Our past experiences, particularly during childhood, can have a profound impact on how we grow, develop, and perceive ourselves. If you grew up in an environment where you experienced constant criticism or bullying, you may be more likely to have a negative self-image and doubt yourself later in life.
Similarly, past failure or trauma can make people more likely to question their abilities and limit self-trust.
Perfectionism
Striving for perfection can make you feel like you don’t measure up if you achieve anything less, or cause you to put mistakes down to incompetence.
This can ignite an overwhelming fear of failure, where people may turn to self-doubt as a protective mechanism to avoid even small mistakes.
Anxiety
Anxiety is often linked to overthinking, where people may spend large amounts of time focusing on ‘what-ifs’ and other potentially negative outcomes. In many cases, this can lead to a cycle of second-guessing, making self-trust difficult.
Anxiety can also make people more inclined to avoid challenging situations, reinforcing the belief that they’re unable to handle them and furthering the cycle of self-doubt.
Imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome describes the experience of believing you’re not as competent at something as others think you are, despite any experiences, achievements, or education you may have in the area.
Doubting yourself and feeling like you’re a fraud are common symptoms of imposter syndrome. For example, you may be promoted at work but feel as though you don’t belong or aren’t capable.
Low confidence and self-esteem
Struggling with confidence and self-esteem can cause people to focus on their perceived weaknesses and make them more inclined to compare themselves with others.
This can be a reinforcing cycle where low confidence leads to self-doubt, which causes people to avoid challenges, further reinforcing their low confidence and self-doubt.
8 ways to overcome self-doubt
We all doubt ourselves sometimes. However, if self-doubt has been impacting your daily life, it’s important to take steps to overcome it. We’ll explore some ways to help you do this below.
1. Remember that self-doubt is part of being human
Before taking any other steps, it’s important to recognise that sometimes you will doubt yourself. Not only is this okay, but it’s totally normal, too. Even more, self-doubt isn’t always a bad thing either. For example, it can sometimes help to protect us from making wrong decisions.
For this reason, far better than beating yourself up for doubting yourself is to embrace it and remind yourself that you are human. It’s what you decide to do next that matters.
2. Reflect on your strengths and past achievements
Because self-doubt thrives off the fear of not being good enough, taking time to reflect on your strengths and past achievements can be powerful.
Some people find it useful to journal their achievements, as looking back on them can be helpful during times when self-doubts are particularly loud.
Check out our article, The power of journaling as a life habit, to get started.
3. Challenge your doubts
Experts describe self-doubt as a manifestation of our fears. Remembering this can be helpful for recognising that your doubts don’t necessarily reflect the truth. In fact, more often than not, they’re exactly the opposite.
So, next time you find yourself in a place of self-doubt, take a moment to challenge your thoughts and doubt your doubt! For example, try asking yourself: “What if the opposite were true?”, “What if I had everything it takes to apply for that job?”, and “What if I didn’t care what people thought of me?”.
4. See setbacks as opportunities for growth
If you have past regrets that you’re struggling to move past, one of the best things you can do is to reframe your mindset, shift your focus, and see them as a growth opportunity.
Some of the biggest breakthroughs in life often come after we face challenges. Every time we stumble, we gain valuable insights into what went wrong, how we can improve, and ways to strengthen our approach.
Check out this article from Medium to learn more about why setbacks are actually a good thing.
5. Set achievable goals that motivate you
Research has linked goal-setting with various benefits, including improved focus, motivation, and performance. And when it comes to overcoming self-doubt, setting goals can help keep you focused on what you want to achieve rather than your fears.
For example, this study found that people who set clear goals are around 10 times more likely to succeed than those who don’t.
To learn more, you might be interested in our article: What are the benefits of goal-setting tools? If you’re still trying to work out your goals, you might find it useful to create a vision board.
6. Practise self-compassion
As with any challenge, it’s important to treat yourself with compassion when facing self-doubt.
One of the most helpful ways to do this is to treat yourself with the same kindness you would a friend – for example, celebrating small wins, being patient with yourself, and reminding yourself that your worth isn’t tied to your performance.
To get started, check out our article: 5 ways to practise self-compassion.
7. Avoid comparison
Comparison is often referred to as the ‘thief of joy’ and can intensify feelings of self-doubt by causing us to focus on what others have while detracting from our own lives and accomplishments.
Research suggests that one of the most powerful ways to avoid comparison is through gratitude. Check out our article, How practising gratitude can lead to a happier life, to learn more.
8. Surround yourself with supportive people
It’s no secret that words have power: they can build up or tear down. It’s no surprise, then, that who you spend time with can have a significant impact on how you see yourself.
If you’re trying to overcome self-doubt, surrounding yourself with supportive people can make all the difference. They can offer encouragement, help cultivate a positive atmosphere, and remind you of your strengths – all of which can counteract negativity, making it easier to believe in yourself.
Check out our articles, 12 ways to make new friends and 9 different ways to meet new people, if you’re looking to make new connections.
Final thoughts...
It’s normal to doubt yourself from time to time. However, when self-doubt begins to affect daily life and your ability to chase your goals, it’s worth addressing. Luckily, there are plenty of effective ways to overcome self-doubt, which can be incredibly effective when practised over time.
For further reading, head over to our healthy mind section. Here, you’ll find information on everything fromways to conquer self-limiting beliefs to improving your self-esteem.
Do you have any other tips for overcoming self-doubt that you’d like to share? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
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