We all face self-doubt. Even the most confident people have moments where they doubt their capabilities. The key is to recognize when self-doubt is kicking in so that you can deal with it before it prevents you from accomplishing your immediate or future goals.

It’s healthy to learn from those around you and to be influenced by those you admire. It’s not healthy if that learning becomes comparison paralysis and causes you to lose confidence in your capabilities and strengths. You have to move past doubting yourself too much.

Stop for a minute and think of when this has happened to you. How did you move past this moment of doubt? Or maybe you haven’t moved past it and it is preventing you from obtaining your personal or professional goals. Here are a few tips for moving past your self-doubt that have worked for me:

1. Acknowledge it. You won’t be able to move past your self-doubt if you don’t acknowledge it for what it is. It’s ok. No one is going to judge you negatively. It’s not something to be ashamed of or to beat yourself up over. You’re going through a moment of self-doubt. Great, now that you’ve acknowledged it, you can push through it.

2. Do something about it. The best way of overcoming self-doubt is to do the very thing that you’re doubting. Take a small step and make it something that is obtainable.

3. Talk about it. Express your self-doubt to those around you. Tell your spouse or your friends or your mentor. Write it down and publish for all to see. Chances are that someone else is going to identify with it. Your acknowledgement of it will help someone else. And, always, don’t hesitate to contact a professional who will be able to help you through it if you need to.

It is by acknowledging and conquering our self-doubt that we gain more confidence. And with greater confidence we have the ability to achieve our greatest potential in both our personal and professional lives.

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