Overcoming Self-doubt: Building Confidence and Belief in Your Ability to Succeed.

Overcoming Self-doubt involves acknowledging the God giving abilities that are peculiar to one and utilizing them. It takes someone who is well aware of the spiritual gifts, talents, and skills acquired, merged together with his or her identity in Christ to shun the cunning voice of doubt that the devil introduces to one’s mind. 

What Is Self-doubt?

According to Wikipedia; “Doubt is a mental state in which the mind remains suspended between two or more contradictory propositions, and is uncertain about them.” What I can conclude from this definition is that doubt is not a healthy mental state. It is a state where one is stuck between two propositions in one’s mind, a state of arguments between two different forces in the mind. Doubt is the thin line between belief and disbelief, but doubt is the worst. It’s a stagnant position, it leaves you in a tight spot of indecisiveness, fear, and lack of confidence. Doubt is not a suitable state of mind and should not be your state mentally. Hence, the need to discuss one of the most dangerous forms of doubt- Self-doubt.

Self-doubt is thinking low of one’s self and disbelief in one’s talents, skills and capabilities. Self-doubt can be very disastrous to one’s social, mental and emotional wellbeing. It reduces your chance of succeeding, leads to stagnation and encourages mediocrity. 

It is normal to doubt yourself at one point or the other in life. What is not normal is failing to overcome self doubt. Self-doubt can be dangerous only if you allow it. You must be intentional about silencing the voice of doubt whenever you notice such thought patterns. Yes! Self-doubt is expressed mainly through your thoughts. So, it is necessary to evaluate and assess your thoughts. Another way we consciously and unconsciously express self-doubt is through the words we speak. It is important that you are intentional about what you say about yourself, as your words will definitely have an effect on your mind. 

So, what do we do?

Enough of the “self-doubt this, self-doubt that”. It is obvious that it is not good to doubt one’s self, but if you ever find yourself doubting “You”. What should you do? How do you overcome Self-doubt?

• Be Sincere

Most times self doubt springs up when you tend to underrate your work and achievements. When you focus too much on your mistakes, failures and shortcomings, rather than sincerely appreciating the several milestones you have reached and passed. People who are victims of self-doubt, often exaggerate their little mistakes and weaknesses, rather than work on them and get better. They spend time drowning in low self esteem, fears, self-pity and pessimistic thoughts of failure. In overcoming self-doubt, you need to be sincere about your achievements and your ability. Appreciate and encourage yourself as much as you can. When you are sincere about your abilities and achievements, you can easily spot your shortcomings without feeling too sad about them, but work towards becoming better.

•  Be Diligent

One effective way to overcome Self-doubt is to be diligent in whatever you do. If you notice you are the kind of person that easily falls into Self-doubt when there are any shortcomings or failures, then it is a call for you to take your work more seriously and do it with extra care. Not out of fear, but being intentional about your progress, and overcoming your every weakness. 

If you need to take that course, take it! Do you need to write a professional examination? Study! Make a presentation? Rehearse! Write a content? Do your research! For every weakness and ignorance that can cause you to doubt yourself, there is a solution to it. Get to work!

• Be Consistent

Consistency is a great tool for overcoming self doubt. In the face of all the shortcomings and statistics that encourage self doubt, all you need is to keep going and don’t give up. Continue showing up everyday until you become way better at whatever you do. You don’t get better at anything by letting it be! You keep at it consistently until there is a tangible result. One of the common decisions people make when they doubt themselves is to give up, and so to contradict self doubt is to make a decision not to give until there is a reasonable result. Consistency is very beneficial to anyone that decides to be that disciplined. Here is an article on the Rewards of Consistency.

•  Avoid Comparison

For the sake of your mental, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, avoid unnecessary comparison. When you try to use other people as the yardstick to measure your growth, it will lead to low self esteem and distraction. It is possible for you to lose track of your destination, because of unnecessary comparison. What unhealthy comparison does, is that it awakens you to desires and achievements that you are not ready for. It can make you deviate from walking the path that God has laid out for you. It is easy to doubt yourself financially when you see the way young ones lavish money these days. But, I advise that you set your mind on things that are eternal (above) and avoid every distraction that the world throws at you.

•  Contend for Knowledge 

I love how the bible explains this in 2 Timothy 2:15. We are to study to show ourselves approved, without fear and without shame. Disgrace and embarrassment are reasons some people are drowning in self doubt. But, we can avoid these shames that come from not having the right, adequate and authentic knowledge by simply studying. Buy that book and read it! Let’s normalize reading and research as things we must do if we are going to be competent professionals, entrepreneurs, artisans and freelancers. We must keep learning new things that will make us stay better at what we do. This is crucial for everyone that plans to be relevant for a very long period of time.

•  Pray

The most authentic tool for overcoming self doubt and building self confidence, is prayer. The bible says “ be anxious for nothing, but with prayer and supplication make your request known to God “. Pray to God for wisdom, knowledge, and James 1:5, states clearly that we are to ask God for his wisdom when needed, but it is important that when you pray you do doubt. Even a God does not encourage or tolerate doubt. It takes faith to please God, and to please God, we must let go of any form of doubt including Self-doubt.

Finally

Self-doubt is not of God, and by studying the word of God daily, you get familiar with the knowledge of God and your identity in Christ Jesus. I can assure you that if through the lens of God’s word you see the authority you have in Christ Jesus, you will silence every doubt , and declare God’s promises for your life.