Dealing With Self-Doubt: How to Overcome Self-Doubt

Self-doubt is a feeling of uncertainty about yourself that leads you to question your identity, your abilities, and potentially your self-worth. Self-doubt can arise in any situation requiring you to take action or step outside of your comfort zone, from going on a first date to applying for a new job. To a certain degree, self-doubt can be healthy, leading you to develop new skills or prepare for novel situations. On the other hand, excessive self-doubt breeds indecision and self-criticism, preventing you from taking risks that can help you grow.

Here are some of the causes of self-doubt:

1. 1. Anxiety and overthinking: Anxious people constantly overthink different scenarios, imagining all of the possible ways that things can go wrong. Daunted by rumination over every possible worst-case scenario, an anxious person will naturally underestimate their abilities to handle challenges, reinforcing self-doubt and encouraging more negative thoughts.
2. 2. Fear of failure: Perfectionism and a fear of failure reinforce feelings of self-doubt. In a state of self-doubt, you may attribute your past successes to luck, downplaying your true abilities. (A term for this experience is imposter syndrome, which is when successful people feel unworthy of their wins.) Conversely, you may feel traumatized by past instances of failure, paralyzing yourself out of fear that you might experience those negative emotions again.
3. 3. Trauma: Self-doubt is often a result of negative life experiences, which can adversely impact your self-esteem. A mental health professional can help you sort through crippling feelings of self-doubt stemming from trauma.

Here are a few ways to work on your self-doubt:

1. 1. Set goals for yourself. Combat self-doubt in small doses by assigning yourself daily or weekly tasks to improve your confidence in specific areas. For example, challenge yourself to meet new three people one week, and to stand up for yourself the next. Set goals for yourself that are realistic and non-intimidating. As you achieve smaller goals, set progressively larger ones and take a step back to reflect on your confidence. To track your feelings along the way, consider journaling throughout this process.
2. 2. Practice self-assured body language. When you adopt confident body language, real confidence will follow. Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Maintain eye contact while people talk to you. Practice power poses, which are specific stances meant to increase your confidence.
3. 3. Make a list of your positive qualities. List out all of your positive qualities, or times that you were successful in an endeavor. Relate these qualities and scenarios to your current feelings of self-doubt to disempower your reflexive negative self-talk.
4. 4. Practice self-compassion. Being kind to yourself—whether that involves changing your internal narrative, prioritizing time for the things you love, or practicing positive affirmations—helps chip away at chronic self-doubt. Learn more about self-care.
5. 5. Give your inner critic a name. Your inner critic may mock your progress and highlight your failures. Give this character a name and speak to them as if they were another person. For example, when you start beating yourself up for a failure, call the voice out by its name. Remind yourself that you are worth more than one mistake. This will help you habituate positive self-talk and build self-confidence.
6. 6. Speak to a mental health professional. Therapy is a vital way to learn self-compassion and get to the root of what’s causing your self-doubt. Many people with anxiety disorders or chronic self-doubt benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy, which involves un-learning negative cognitive habits that cause you pain.

Figuring out what you want to do next and how to get there? Learn how to embrace your passions with a MasterClass Annual Membership and find the grit to take control of your life with exclusive access to video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Robin Arzón, Elaine Welteroth, Hillary Rodham Clinton, RuPaul, and more.