I am in the midst of a project which I have challenged myself to do. If it is a success, it would be a great accomplishment for me and I'm very excited at that prospect. Since I'm doing the project on my own, with minimal external assistance, there's really no one for me to consult when I have any problems or if my enthusiasm turns to doubts, like rain clouds which looms threateningly over my head. Here's how I try to overcome my doubts, in pursuit of success.
Understanding Doubts
When do doubts appear? Doubts will appear often at the most inappropriate moments such as when you encounter a small hurdle or a setback. Doubts will come when you least expected it. You begin to doubt all your efforts and often ask whether it is worth it at all. You begin to question your capabilities and convince yourself that you're no expert to be doing something big like this. You doubt yourself and sell yourself short. However, you need to understand that doubts develop out of fear.
What are You Afraid Of?
This is the next question you must ask yourself. What is causing your fears? If you said that you are afraid of failures, you have come up with the right answer. When you encounter setbacks or obstacles in your projects, you are most afraid that it might fail. At times, you might be most afraid that you might just succeed. And then what?
The fear of failure is one of the biggest inner contradictions that you may encounter every now and then. The fear of failure often keeps you in situations you dislike, jobs you loathe and people you despise. So, now that you know that your doubts come from the fear of failure, what can you do to overcome it?
Identify the Worst Case Scenario
The best way to overcome the fear of failure is to ask yourself what will happen if you fail. How badly will it be? What will you lose? Will you lose your job, your friends, your credibility? What is the worst that can happen if you fail? Write them all down.
My project involves the setting up of an online business. My main concern would be how much I would lose if this project were to fail. So I did all my calculations and realized that I would not lose my entire savings if I failed. And I will not die from starvation if I failed in this business venture. So I carried on with my business idea. Every time I encounter my doubts, I will revisit the worst case scenario for my project.
How to Pick Yourself Up?
Another question that will help you overcome your doubts and fears would be to ask yourself how you can pick yourself up if your project fails miserably. For me, I could always go back to work if my online business falls below expectation. Although it's a thought I try to push to the very back of my mind, but I know that there is a way out of a bad situation. It's good to be prepared for the worst, but at the same time, hope for the best.
Take Action
Kill your fears with positive action! Write down three steps that will bring you closer to the completion of your project. Do you have to make a phonecall, do an online research, or send an e-mail? If it is just these simple tasks, you will find that you will start to return to your main focus as soon as you start doing something that brings you nearer to your goals. You will soon forget about your doubts and fears.
Every doubt and fear need to be addressed. By understanding your doubts and fears and the steps you need to undertake to overcome them, doubt clouds will soon disappear into thin air and your self-confidence will be restored quickly. Never give up!
