SELF-DOUBT

Self-doubt is the killer of dreams, careers, accomplishments and success. I think one of the problems many people have is they think high achievers don’t have doubts. The feelings of uncertainty, insecurity, worry, apprehension and hesitancy happen to all of us. The only difference is highly successful people know how to control these feelings, deal with them, use them to channel their strengths so they can prepare properly before venturing forward.

The greatest athletes have had good and bad games. The best hitters in major league baseball have had slumps. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson had one of the greatest rookie seasons in baseball history, but in his second season, he had an 0-for-20 hitting slump. Imagine missing twenty times in a row. Mickey Mantle went 0-20, Cal Ripken went 0-33, and Reggie Jackson went 0-35; it should be noted they are all in Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Phil Mickelson is a great golfer, but for years he wasn’t labeled “great” because he couldn’t win a major golf championship. It took him 13 years on the pro golf tour before he won his first major tournament. The next year he won another and now is considered one of the best who has ever played the game.

According to the National Sales Executive Association, 80% of sales are made on the 5th to 12th contact. Imagine having your sales manager tell you to go back out and try and sell a customer who has told you “NO” eleven times in a row. Would you be doubting you’ll get the sale? Most people would. Would you be thinking this is a waste of time? Most people would. Would you “ under prepare” because you know this sales call is going to be a waste of your time? Most people would. That is why most people are not successful. 80% of all sales are made by the top 20% of the salespeople; the confident ones.

• Doubt kills more dreams than failure will.
• If you are going to doubt something, doubt your limits.
• Don’t let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.
• Your belief can move mountains, but your doubt can create them.
• When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.

A self-fulfilling prophecy is any positive or negative expectation about circumstances, events, or people that may affect a person's behavior so those expectations come true. In the case of DOUBT … self-doubt is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think you can’t … you won’t. If you think it is impossible …it is. If you second guess a decision, then you take energy and resources away from making the decision succeed. Confidence is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence. Always remember, self-confidence is the foundation for success and achievement. After failing, would you attempt to do something again if you knew the next time you were going to succeed? Sure you would. So, quit doubting yourself and get busy trying again.

There will always be people who doubt you;
Don’t you be one of them.