We’ve all experienced it before, that little voice in your head telling you that you can’t do something or you’re not good enough.  It happens to the best of us even when everyone around you is telling you how great, smart, attractive you are.  We are our own worst enemies sometimes. It’s something I’ve struggled with because of my tendency to compare myself to others and fear of failing.

I can’t give that presentation in front of all those people or I can’t get into that school, it’s only for really smart people.  A girl like that would never go for a guy like me.  These are just some of the examples I can think of that I’ve experienced in my life.

The next time I find myself questioning if I can do something or not, I will keep the following things in mind:

Focus on what you can control – don’t worry about what others will say or think if you don’t get the outcome you were hoping for.  Think of every misstep/mistake as an opportunity to learn something new and grow.  Telling yourself ‘you got this’ or ‘you can do anything you put your mind to’ as opposed to ‘I can’t do this’ can go a long way in determining what happens.

Throw expectations out the window – the need to get everything perfect when we live in an imperfect world.  The best that you can do is put everything you’ve got into what you’re doing and living with the results.  You’re going to stumble, you’re going to fall, it’s how you get back up and learn from your mistakes that makes the difference.

Replace a negative/limiting thought with a positive one –  if you’re having doubts about something new to you, look back to a time when you proved yourself wrong.  Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come, all the battles you have won and fears you’ve overcome.

Practice patience – we live in a society that thrives on instant gratification.  Getting our news right away, getting rich fast, rushing into relationships.  We think that if it doesn’t happen right away or on the first try, it’s a lost cause.  A baby doesn’t fall down the first time and think this isn’t for me, I’m not going to try.  They get back up and try again until they get it right.

What’s the worst that could happen – very rarely do we come into a life or death situation but a lot of times, our minds trick us into thinking that if we don’t do this or fail at something, we will lose everything.

So the next time you find yourself doubting yourself, just remember you’re more than enough!

QOTP:  “It’s important to celebrate your failures as much as your success.  If you celebrate your failures really well, and if you get to the motto and say, ‘Wow, I failed, I tried, I was wrong, I learned something,’ then you realize you have no fear, and when your fear goes away, you can move the world.” –Sebastian Thrun