Tag: september surge

So there you are, anxiously waiting to hear back about a job you applied for.

You go on about your days, tending to your usual routines and responsibilities, but in the back of your mind you’re hoping to get invited to interview for that job you really want.

And then it happens–the employer calls you with an invite to interview! You get excited!!…

…For all of 2 seconds before a little bit of panic sets in.

Now, you’re nervous. You know you’re smart, skilled, etc. But you still feel unprepared. You can’t help but shake the feeling that this isn’t going to go well.

Self-doubt.

We’ve all experienced it before. You might be experiencing it right now. But what can be done about it? Where do you start on the journey to overcoming self-doubt?

Help! I’m a Chronic Self-Doubter!

Self-doubt is a totally normal experience. BetterUp describes self-doubt as experiencing feelings of uncertainty about one or more aspects of yourself. Everyone can relate to that on some level. So don’t beat yourself up about it too much if it’s something you struggle with.

And the good news is, you can productively address the tendency to sell yourself short!

The very first thing you should do is pause and recognize that you’re caught in self-doubt, and self-doubt is often irrational. In other words, you have to train yourself to interrupt that thought process when it’s happening, because there’s a good chance that it’s not based on anything substantial.

Once you’ve had the realization of “Wait, this is me doubting myself,” take a look around and assess the circumstances. Is there anything in the situation that suggests you should be doubting yourself? What does the immediate real world evidence suggest? Not what your fears or projections suggest. The cold hard facts.

Let’s take a look at our interview example. The hiring party calls you to say they want to interview you for the position you applied for. You’re excited for 2 seconds before the doubt sets in and now you’re nervous.

But wait! You took a breath and actively caught yourself and now you’re examining the circumstances. You realize two things:

1. You didn’t call them to offer yourself an interview. They called you. Which means after examining your application, they figured you were a good enough candidate to be interviewed. So they’re talking to you because they believe–based on facts–that you’re more likely to do well in this interview than not.
2. You didn’t fabricate the content in your application. You told them exactly what your qualifications were, and they were impressed enough with what you presented to reach out to you.

Based on the cold hard facts, you now know that you have more reason to feel confident in yourself than you do to doubt yourself. All you have to do is take some time to prepare and practice for the interview.

Wrapping Up

Moral of the story: Don’t get in your own way! Self-doubt can lead to self-sabotage. Instead, take some time to understand whether or not your self-doubt is actually founded on real evidence. You might surprise yourself and find out that you’re getting in the way of your own success. Chances are you’re smarter than you think!

Looking for a Little Support?

It’s easy to get in the way of your own goals, especially on your career journey. You set a goal, but then you tell yourself you’re not ready for it.

Or that it couldn’t happen for you. Or maybe you don’t know where to start, so you just tell yourself there’s nothing you can do.

If that’s you, I wanna invite you to come talk to me! Because there is something you can do. 

Sign up for a free consult with me by clicking the button below. Let’s chat about some of your goals, and discuss a “right now” step you can take in the right direction. It’s hard to gather momentum if you’re not moving, so let’s get you in motion!