“What we resist, persists.” -Carl Jung
Here’s the approach and the exercise to effectively manage self-doubt:
First, acknowledge the self-doubt that comes up for you. Ignoring or resisting it will just cause it to persist (and likely grow larger). This can then cloud and control our entire mindset. To avoid this dynamic, write down those things that are persistent nagging self-doubts. What is the voice in your head constantly telling you?
Our recommendation is to think about areas of your life where you’re struggling to make progress. What doubts do you have in that area that are undermining your efforts?
Second, you can immediately neutralize the self-doubt by identifying instances where you’ve overcome a similar challenge or hurdle in the past, one that perhaps you previously thought was insurmountable.
This exercise does two things:
- Self-doubt won’t grow out of control because you’ve noticed and acknowledged it.
- You gain a boost of confidence from your past accomplishments, which will help move you past the self-doubt and build momentum in tackling your current challenge.
