Monday Mindset: Overcoming Doubt and What It Takes to Get Unstuck

 

“Our effort is the difference between winning and losing,
between settling for what we have and achieving what we want.” Terry Gurno

I was having a conversation with a friend a few weeks ago.  I was sharing with her my big aha that I mentioned a few weeks ago in my blog, The Best Turn at the Crossroad.  When I shared with her that we help people overcome doubts and face their fears she said, “those are the same thing.”

I told her, “I disagree, they’re not the same in my life.” I turned to my wife and asked her what she thought and she agreed with me, “No, I don’t think they’re the same”.  So, I “Googled” and found they are indeed different.  By doing this I learned something that I think we can all identify with.

Doubt is when you’re unsure: Is it right or wrong?  Do I go left, or right?  Am I ready or not? Doubt stops you because you can’t decide.

Fear is when you are afraid.  Fear stops you because you’re afraid.

Fear and doubt are real for all of us.  The truth is we will face them our entire life so for the next two weeks I want to talk about how to overcome your doubts and find the courage to face your fears.

Overcoming your doubts:

How do I know it’s right? Do I have enough?  Do I have what it takes?  Am I prepared?  Do I know enough? These are some of the questions that reveal our doubts.

1. Recognize what it is, Doubt: The first thing you must do is recognize that it’s doubt.  If doubt is being unsure, then recognizing doubt for what it is will help you take the step you need to take to get unstuck.

2. Get sure: If doubt is being unsure – get sure. What do you need to do to get started? What do you need to know or know more of?  What do you need to ready to go?

Sit down with a trusted friend, like I did in the blog I mentioned above. Have them write while you talk, making           a list of what you don’t know or you’re unsure of. Doubts will become excuses so we must identify what they are           so we can do what we need to do to move forward.

3. Do the ONE thing: When we no longer hide behind our doubts/excuses the ONE thing that will change everything will become clear.

Here’s a great question to ask yourself.  What’s the one thing I can do and by doing it will help me, empower me, equip me to move forward?

I went to breakfast a few weeks ago, with someone who had just had their job eliminated due to downsizing.   He was considering his options and one of them was becoming a real estate agent.  As we were talking about his next step he said, “What I’d like is a job that has more of a guarantee that this won’t happen again.   I get it, who wouldn’t want that especially after what he just went though.

I looked at him and said, “The only guarantee we have is our effort, we’re in control of that.  If you get a job, there’s no guarantee they’re going to stay in business either. If you get a job and don’t bring your best effort you won’t have a job very long.  Your effort is the best guarantee you have.”

That goes for all of us.  We all have doubts and they can stop us in our tracks.

The bottom line is it’s our effort that makes the difference between winning and losing and between settling for what we have and accomplishing what we want.

Don’t live with doubt. Get sure, decide to do the ONE thing and keep moving.  Your life is waiting for you!