“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” Suzy Kassem
While watching two chef’s face elimination on Top Chef Portland, I was surprised when one of the chefs tearfully admitted that she felt unworthy to be in the competition. Despite beating out hundreds of other talented chefs and making it to the top 16 in a life-changing culinary competition, she still doubted her ability to cook and compete. As I continued to watch, I began to ponder why we doubt ourselves and our abilities. We can be at the top of our game and still have doubts about ourselves and our abilities. But why? Why do we doubt ourselves? Have you ever doubted yourself? I know I have plenty of times. So for this week’s blog, let’s talk SHIP about how DOUBT KILLS!!
Most of us have experienced doubt at some point in our lives. Doubt is a word used to describe uncertainty, a lack of confidence, or fear of failure. And self-doubt is the lack of confidence in one’s abilities. It’s when WE question and doubt our own abilities. Self-doubt is that little voice in the back of our head saying, “I can’t do it”, “he/she won’t like me”, “I’m not good enough” or “I won’t win”. We’ve all been there because doubt affects us all. We’ve all experienced feelings of self-doubt around decisions and choices we’ve made, or because we may feel that we’re not good enough. No matter how talented, how smart, or how beautiful we are, we all have experienced some sort of insecurities and self-doubt. It’s common and normal to doubt ourselves. And a certain level of self-doubt is good because it indicates that we recognize that we need improvement in certain areas in order to grow, to do a better job, or to accomplish a task or goal. But staying stuck in doubt for too long isn’t good because DOUBT KILLS.
Being stuck in doubt is when we allow those negative thoughts and feelings of inadequacies to grow halting our forward progress and if we continue to allow it to linger, it becomes a liability. DOUBT will KILL our goals and dreams. DOUBT will KILL our relationSHIPS. DOUBT will KILL our trust. DOUBT will KILL our ability to believe in ourselves. DOUBT will KILL our ideas and our visions. DOUBT will KILL our future. Suzy Kassem said, “DOUBT KILLS more dreams than failure ever will” and it’s true. People will doubt themselves so much that they give up before they even try, much like the chef. Even though she was in the competition long enough to send 9 other chefs home, her doubt fed her belief that she wasn’t good enough. Even though she was on the verge of culinary success, she let DOUBT KILL her dream. No doubt about it, DOUBT can KILL our dreams and ruin our aspirations. It can hold us back from happiness and success but it doesn’t have to.
Self-doubt doesn’t have to be a “paralyzing” experience. On the contrary, self-doubt should lead us to make decisions and prompt us to take action. If we keep listening to that voice in the back of our heads, doubt will eventually reveal its benefits. Doubt will make us question things and people. If we are not too analytical, doubt can give us a clearer perspective on things. Having doubts about new ventures, experiences, and relationSHIPS can be beneficial and may save us from unnecessary headaches and heartbreaks. Doubt makes us aware. It requires that we see things as they are. Doubt forces us to address the issue and to develop a plan to get past it. It makes us set goals. Doubt motivates us and makes us stronger. It makes us want to overcome the challenge by addressing our fear. Because in order to overcome doubt, we have to first face them. We have to stop comparing ourselves to others and began recognizing that we are more than enough. We have to know that everything that we need to succeed is already within us. We have to believe that we are capable of doing anything we set our minds to.
Although the chef who had doubted herself was eliminated, the judging panel that consisted of former contestants had some partying words. One told her that until she believed that she was good enough, then she wouldn’t be and it’s true because DOUBT KILLS. Next time doubt seeps in, know that you are up for any challenge that the universe brings your way. Know that you are more than enough. Armed with this knowledge and knowing that, DOUBT KILLS, don’t let DOUBT KILL your dreams, goals, and aspirations. You are a natural-born winner and DOUBT can’t KILL or change that!!!
SHIP TALK: Do you experience self-doubt? How did you overcome it?
At www.whatstheship.com, we appreciate your support and welcome your comments. If you’d like to leave a message, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.
I agree Stephen. It can be debilitating if you stay stuck.
The fear of doubt is almost if not worse that doubt it self. The best remedy is to be ready. Weather it be a sporting event a big client or final exam. Prepare practice be ready as long as you put in the effort your going to get the desired result. But then the thing u doubted you will come to find in that there are lessons. Adjustments you can only get better the more you do something. The key is knowing what you doing everything about it.