Overcoming the Voice of Self-Doubt

Question: I constantly doubt myself, even when I know I’m capable. How do you quiet that inner critic and trust yourself?

Response:
Oh, self-doubt—my old friend. I wish I could say I’ve silenced that voice for good, but the truth is, it still visits me. The difference now is, I’ve learned not to give it the final word.

Self-doubt is sneaky because it sounds like it’s trying to protect you: “What if you fail? What if you’re not good enough?” But the more I’ve examined it, the more I’ve realized self-doubt is less about protecting you and more about keeping you small.

One thing that’s helped me is reframing self-doubt as curiosity. Instead of letting it stop me, I ask myself, “What if it’s wrong? What if I can do this?” That little shift turns doubt from a roadblock into a question I can explore.

Another thing I’ve learned is to separate my worth from my performance. You are not your success or failure. You are enough, even on your worst days. It sounds cheesy, I know, but sometimes the truth is.

Finally, I remind myself that everyone—even the people I admire—struggles with self-doubt. The difference is, they act anyway.

Courage, they say, isn’t the absence of doubt; it’s moving forward despite it.