1 of Many – Doubt

1 OF MANY

1 of Many – Doubt

How doubt can quietly make decisions for us before we ever give ourselves a chance.

What is doubt?

Doubt is that feeling of uncertainty—when you are unsure whether something is true, possible, or the right decision.

For me, doubt is something I have dealt with for a long time.

Looking back, I can trace it all the way back to middle school and high school. Even today, I still deal with it from time to time, especially in business.

As I have reflected on my life, I have tried to figure out where that doubt started.

And I have realized that it did not come entirely from me.

Growing up, you meet people who tell you that you cannot do something, that something is not possible, or that you are simply not built for it.

When you hear those things enough times, eventually you can start believing them.

For Me, It Was Basketball

I loved basketball.

I could spend hours playing on a basketball goal my dad made for me using wood he had from his furniture repair business and an old rim we had found.

It was nothing fancy.

But to me, it did not matter.

I loved playing.

The problem was that I kept hearing one thing:

“You’re too short to play basketball.”

“Don’t even try.”

After hearing something enough times, you can start believing it.

And I did.

I never tried out for the team.

Not because I knew I could not make it.

I never gave myself the opportunity to find out.

I had already convinced myself that I could not do it.

That is what makes doubt so powerful.

When Doubt Starts Taking Opportunities Away

Once you begin doubting yourself, opportunities can start passing you by.

Then comes the overthinking.

You begin questioning decisions.

You question your abilities.

Eventually, you can even start doubting yourself in areas where you know you are capable.

Personally, I believe doubt—and not learning how to overcome it earlier in my life—has held me back from opportunities that were right in front of me.

And this did not stop when I became an adult.

Doubt has followed me into business too.

There have been times when I have questioned whether I was good enough, whether I should take an opportunity, or whether I was making the right decision.

The circumstances change.

The doubt can still sound the same.

How Long Have I Carried It?

Since middle school.

That is a long time to carry something.

But one thing I am beginning to understand is this:

Just because you have carried something for years does not mean you have to carry it forever.

So How Am I Trying to Overcome It?

I have read self-help books.

I have listened to advice.

I have tried to better understand why I think the way I do.

Those things can help.

But at the end of the day, you still have to make the decision to change.

For me, one of the biggest things I am trying to remember is:

Do not live with the “what if.”

What if I had tried?

What if I had taken the opportunity?

What if I had believed in myself?

Life is too short to spend years wondering what could have happened.

Faith also plays a major role for me.

In my case, I release my doubt to God. At the same time, I understand that faith does not replace effort.

I still have to work.

I still have to take chances.

I still have to make decisions.

And I still have to move forward when I am uncomfortable.

Leaving Doubt Behind

The truth is, I cannot go back and try out for that basketball team.

I cannot go back and change every opportunity I may have missed because I doubted myself.

But I can make sure that the person I am today does not continue making decisions based on doubt I learned years ago.

That is where I am now.

I am still working on it.

I am still learning.

I still have moments when I question myself.

But I do not want doubt making my decisions anymore.

Life is short, and time moves fast. I would rather find out what happens than spend another year asking, “What if?”

One Question

What is one thing doubt has stopped you from doing?

Maybe the first step is simply giving yourself the chance to find out what happens.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional writer, counselor, or motivational expert. These are simply my thoughts, experiences, and opinions about things in my own life that I am currently working through, fighting, or choosing to leave behind.