In our professional life, there are times we feel less than adequate and are plagued with self-doubt. This is both normal and natural. It can happen even when we have consistently performed well over a long period. And it’s important to bear in mind that this has nothing to do with our capability, but with our levels of confidence. And it happens even to most optimistic people occasionally.
Bertrand Russell captures this very well when he says that fundamental cause of this, is that in the modern world, the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt!
In fact, some even say that a healthy dose of self-doubt is a wise medicine. More often than not, in our professional lives, we fine ourselves navigating between the Scylla of self-doubt and Charybdis of self-certainty.
Given that we are living and working in a VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous), the chances are that we will frequently embrace self-doubt while still remaining a confident professional most of the time. It is only when we feel overwhelmed or insecure that self-doubt tends call for our attention.
However, being constantly in self-doubt is rather counterproductive. So here are some tips when in doubt:
- Question your doubt: Martin Seligman, positive psychology guru, suggests that we should test our doubts to check if they are realistic or we are just overreacting. He even suggests that we must argue against our self-doubts and reflect on its causes. Positive re-framing of the situation causing the self-doubt is what he suggests.
- Find a mentor and seek help: Research has confirmed that coaching, warmth and positive support from others can help address and alleviate self-doubt. Obviously, one does not run around and find a mentor only when engulfed by self-doubt, but it should instead be an on-going mentoring relationship.
- Smell the roses in the garden: Simply choosing to relax and find another “Well of energy” can help address self-doubts. This is another reason why it is often suggested that professionals should have alternate sources of pride and peace besides our job. Sometimes, a mere walk in the garden and smelling the roses can help relax and overcome the self-doubt.
- Do what athletes do: They do a lot of self-talk. They picture victory in their mind. A mind-set of reassurance can help almost anyone. Sports psychologists confirm that such self-talk improves the chances of great performance significantly. There is no reason why this cannot work for all of us. Like author Norman Vincent Peale says, change your thoughts and you change your World!
- Remember you are not alone: A study by European Institute for Leadership and Management revealed that 50 per cent of female managers and 31 per cent of male managers admitted to experiencing self-doubt.
While an occasional tinge of paranoia or self-doubt is good, an overdose obviously hurts our self-esteem and self-confidence. Learning to manage this effectively is key to continued success.
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