Self-doubt. When you read the words a moment ago, you probably cringed. Don’t you hate it when you fall into the pit of negative self-talk?

The problem is that it’s all too convenient to end up there. A casual comment from someone you admire or a reminder of a past failure can send you down a rabbit hole of despair. You end up telling yourself that there are a million reasons why you should quit right now. 

To sum it up, you’ve ended up getting nowhere. If you begin by saying ‘no’ to doubting yourself with these simple techniques. 

Say the Words

This may sound too simplistic, but if self-doubt arises, simply say “no.” Tell yourself over and over that you are not going to listen.

If necessary, say it aloud! Because you’ve gone down this path a thousand times before, it’s essential to focus on finding something different. 

By convincing yourself that you don’t care about it now, you’re freeing yourself to engage in new thoughts.

Remind Yourself This Isn’t the End

Do you feel like you’ve failed because something went wrong? Instead of feeling bad, stop for a moment and objectively look at the problem. Remind yourself that everybody makes mistakes. What matters is that you find out what you can take away from the experience.

Learn Something

When we do not feel prepared, self-doubt creeps in. What part of the process do you expect to go wrong if you’re worried about failing? This could be an excellent opportunity to learn something new. Learning a new skill will help you overcome self-doubt.

Change Your Self Talk

The things we tell ourselves are at the root of self-doubt. So why are you being so critical of yourself? Begin by removing all the negative statements and replacing them with more positive ones. It’s something you have to keep a close eye on, so you can attack those thoughts when they occur.

A little bit of practice, and you’ll get rid of self-doubt. The important thing is to pay attention to what you’re telling yourself and act on it. In no time at all, you’ll get yourself back on track. 

In the meantime, hang in there, stay out of your own way and take back your life.  You got this!