Self-doubt plagues us all. Sometimes it is not those around us that cause our biggest self-doubt but ourselves. You may question how you can believe in yourself when that voice inside you says different.
It has stopped me many a times from going after something I wanted.
Fortunately, self-confidence is a quality you can develop. I used to lack confidence when it came to participating in group settings. Whenever I participated in meetings, I would be the person who listened rather than the person who contributed. I told myself it was the way I learned.
As I progressed in my career, expectations of me increased. It was no longer acceptable to just stand around and not participate. I was afraid. I didn’t think what I had to say mattered. Then one day I made a choice. I would meet this fear in the face and work hard to overcome it.
I convinced myself to participate a little, then it became a lot. Eventually, it became easy to say what was on my mind.
Your conscious lies all the time, telling you that you can’t do things. You feel like you don’t have what it takes.
Feelings aren’t facts. Next time your conscious doubts you, ask yourself, “Are You Sure?”
Next time your mind tells you that you can’t do something, ask,
“Are you Sure? Why Not? I will try”.
Building self-confidence enough to believe in yourself takes time. Sometimes, you need a little help along the way.
Here is a great video by Ben Lionel Scott, with snippets from two great motivational speakers, “
Jaret Grossman and Eric Thomas”.
Believe In Yourself – Motivational Video (ft. Jaret Grossman & Eric Thomas) #5MinMotivation
Some of my favorite messages from the video:
Jaret Grossman
- Your brain is like a circuit switch. Once you believe you are something, you actually embody it. You embody that feeling.
- Being successful in life is all about having the proper belief system.
- If you truly believe, your expressions, your actions will lead you towards what you believe to be possible.
- Everyone has mental doubts and internal conflict. The difference is in how long you stay there.
Eric Thomas
- The greats approach the game in a totally different way.
- Think about what you think about when your effort is low. When your effort is low, you’re probably not thinking about the opportunity but the obligation.
- Even in the midst of obstacles, think about the opportunities and not the obligation.
- If you want what you’ve never had before, change your mentality. Opportunity goes up when you change the way you think about your situation.
Take small steps towards believing in yourself. Soon, you’ll find you’ve traveled a long way.