By in Mindfulness

Do You Suffer from Self-Doubt at Work?

Do You Suffer from Self-Doubt at Work? If so, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re the only one. Yet many people, particularly those who work in high-performance settings, mask their inner feelings of doubt and fear.

Some compare themselves unfavourably to their confident, polished colleagues. Others mistrust their professional decisions, or feel that nothing they do is ever quite ‘enough’. Deep down, even the highest corporate fliers can believe that their success has happened by ‘accident’, instead of resulting from their own hard work.

Self-doubt is a common and natural experience

Self-doubt is a completely normal part of professional life, so if you recognised any of the above scenarios in your own work behaviour, congratulations! You have confirmed that you are (im)perfectly human.

All you need to do now is acknowledge and accept those feelings of self-doubt instead of suppressing or denying them, which is not healthy. Acceptance of self-doubt is crucial for maintaining and achieving the success you deserve in your career.

Here’s how to begin.

Make time to reflect on your professional achievements

Remind yourself of the skills and strengths you have used to get to where you are now. Acknowledge the individual parts you have played in group achievements, no matter how small, and highlight those moments when you have excelled on your own.

You may want to start a ‘success journal’ into which you can record your professional highlights, from major achievements to positive comments from colleagues or clients. Reading these back later will remind you of just how far you’ve come.

Ask for constructive feedback

We all have areas in which we excel. Certain skills may come so naturally to you that they have become ‘invisible’ over time, so asking a trusted colleague or mentor to highlight your strengths can offer an important reminder of your professional value.

Don’t be afraid to ask about potential areas of improvement, too. This will provide a balanced view of your work performance and give you an opportunity to learn from others’ insights.

Manage your professional expectations

Do you have a ‘perfectionist’ streak? Perfectionism can be a major cause of self-doubt, stopping us from sharing good ideas or making crucial decisions because we might get it wrong.

To combat this, you could set yourself a goal of taking small risks, such as speaking up early in meetings when you’ve got something potentially useful to share.

You could also try breaking large projects into smaller, more manageable chunks, so they feel less intimidating and you have an opportunity to resolve any issues as they crop up.

Turn self-doubt to your advantage

Reasonable self-doubt can challenge impulsive decision-making, or encourage you to take a step back and reflect when needed.

As you learn to acknowledge and accept these perfectly normal feelings, you will cultivate a trustworthy inner voice that can act as a useful guide, helping you build and maintain a successful career.

Louise is a wellness therapist, embodiment coach, clinical hypnotherapist, teacher of meditation and teacher of the Realisation Process (RP). For further information or to book a treatment phone Louise on 01702 714968 or contact us to book an appointment.

Louise
Latest posts by Louise (see all)