0 
0 By Jessica Evans
If you’re always doubting yourself, you’ll end up going in circles. Basically, you’ll wear yourself out with nothing to show for it. We’ve all been guilty of allowing the monster of self-doubt to take over and prevent us from taking chances. It sucks because when you’re too afraid to trust yourself, you have no idea what you might be missing out on.
Look, nobody is born with an instruction manual on how to live. We’re all winging it, just in different ways. Some people are born risk-takers, others are just super lucky. Some people excel in the confidence department, while others… not so much.
The good news is, it’s okay. Those of us who may be a little more lacking in courage or self-confidence just need to learn to believe in ourselves more. Stop doubting yourself, trust your gut, and follow your heart. I know it sounds a lot easier than it is, but that doesn’t make it an unreachable goal.
Nothing To Lose, Everything To Gain
I do know that when you stop doubting yourself and you start trusting in your capabilities, your life will start to change. Doubt stops us from doing all the things we really want to do. When you remove it from your life, it opens up so many new possibilities. We trust people we don’t even know all the time, why not take a chance and trust in ourselves?
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, you just have to believe and have faith in yourself. You’ve got this! All you have to do is throw out that self-doubt, and go for what you want in life.
Stop The Self-Doubt!
Things to work on to stop doubting yourself, and to motivate you to move forward to achieve your goals.
1. The first thing to remember is, self-doubt is just a part of being human – learn to embrace it.
2. Know your doubts are NOT the truth. Question the doubts, not your ability.
3. Make your goals your motivation – use them as a reminder of why you’re putting yourself out there.
4. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect to get started, nothing usually is and that’s ok.
5. Don’t overthink, just dive in!
6. Make sure you surround yourself with people who support and encourage you; stay away from the naysayers.
7. Focus your energy on your goals and what you will need to do to achieve them.
8. Think about your past successes and things you took that chance on and succeeded with. They serve as a great reminder that you CAN do whatever you set your mind to.
9. Don’t compare your success to others. We’re all different, our goals are different, and it’s not a competition.
10. Face your fears head on, and push through them toward achieving your goals.
11. Think about the “why” not the “how” – the “why” is much more important.
1in4 UK Book Store:
[amazon_link asins='1977009336' template='ProductGrid' store='iam1in4-20' marketplace='US' link_id='ffcb5f04-1297-11e8-8b2c-c721ea9703cc']
12. Work on retraining your thoughts. Mindful thinking is a great technique to help with this.
13. Celebrate the wins! Every small victory brings you that much closer.
14. Practice using positive affirmations to your advantage.
15. The most important – BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
“Never Let Your Fear Decide Your Fate”
There are some more great tips out there to help you face your fears and get past your self-doubt. Use what resources you have available to help get you past the initial hurdle, and get you moving in the right direction!
When you have a dream or a goal you really feel passionate about, don’t ever let anything or anyone hold you back, including yourself. We only have this one life, this one opportunity, to live our best lives. Don’t let something you’re passionate about slip through your fingers because of self-doubt.
“Never let your fear decide your fate” ~ AWOLNATION – Kill Your Heroes
Unlock Your Potential
There are some really great books on conquering fear and learning how to stop doubting yourself. Some other things they can help with are confidence building skills, as well as working on self-esteem. If you’re looking to improve your decision-making skills, these books have you covered there too.
They provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to get your creative juices flowing and unlock the potential you have inside to do your best work.
Take That First Step
Just remember, nothing is ever perfect. Think about all of the things that would never have been accomplished if no one had the courage to take that first step. The only way you can fail is to never try. You don’t want to live the rest of your life with the what-ifs on your mind.
There are so many extremely successful people who started with an idea, a goal, a dream. Even when they failed the first time, they didn’t give up. Don’t be afraid of that, learn from it and improve upon your idea. Just keep pushing forward.
If you don’t try, you’ll never know.
The Reason I Jump
There’s one more book I forgot to include, it’s a must-read. It’s both inspiring and moving, and if you haven’t already, you should definitely take the time to read this book.
It’s called The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen Year Old Boy with Autism
Andrew Soloman, of The Times (UK), wrote: “The Reason I Jump is a Rosetta stone… I had to keep reminding myself that the author was a thirteen-year-old boy when he wrote this… because the freshness of voice coexists with so much wisdom. This book takes about ninety minutes to read, and it will stretch your vision of what it is to be human.”
Jon Stewart, of The Daily Show, wrote: “One of the most remarkable books I’ve ever read. It’s truly moving, eye-opening, incredibly vivid.”
Motivation To Follow Your Dreams
I love this book because of how powerful it is, and the amazing message behind it. If you’re looking for some inspiration and motivation to follow your dreams, you have got to read this book. It’s humbling, and it really makes you think in an entirely different way.
If you’ve read this book or any of the others I listed above, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!
~ Jess
Reproduced with permission, originally posted on jessisamess.com
UNITED STATES
UNITED KINGDOM
