Drop the Doubt on the Way Out… Or Rather, Up…

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”

This is a quote by Suzy Kassem, a world-renowned author and poet, among other things. I saw this quote today, and it made me think about my blog post titled The Invisible Obstacle. If you remember in the post, I mentioned that to keep pushing forward, you must picture yourself successful and get out of your own damn way. Positivity is the key, I clearly recall saying. Negativity has no place in an author’s life or anybody’s life.

But it wasn’t until I saw this quote today that I realized I left The Invisible Obstacle a bit incomplete. What makes us NOT think positively? What causes the negativity to dominate our positive thoughts in the first place? We have to figure that out before we can stop it from taking up residence in our heads.

Enter doubt.

No matter the reason for your negativity or lack of hope for future success, it all equates to the D-word. Think about it. What do we cite when we think we won’t make it?

• Lack of confidence
• Lack of security
• Lack of resources
• Lack of time
• Lack of anything—pick your deficit.

What we are really saying is that we doubt we can do it.

So how do we overcome our doubt?

Search doubt online and the Internet will provide you a plethora of information. I’m no psychologist, so I can’t tell you with certainty which sites provide the most credible information. But I can tell you what worked for me, and what continues to work for me every time the slightest criticism makes me want to punch a wall and then kick myself.

Two things:

• I feed my mental state a diet of healthy choices. I look in the mirror, at least once a day, and reiterate to myself of the great things I deserve because I’ve earned them and I’m a good person. Sometimes, I even break down in detail the best things about me. I feel the success of my accomplishments deep in my heart, no matter how big, and relish conquering each goal, no matter how large or how small. I am more than my past hurts, more than my doubt. I feed my brain positive thoughts until I own them and crush the negativity.
• I also work out. This isn’t a plug for exercise, but given the fact that I am also a certified personal trainer, this is one area I can tell you with certainty will help you overcome that doubt. It takes discipline to stay committed to exercise. Many people give up on their bodies as they do their dreams. Believe me, if you stay focused on getting stronger and feeling better physically, the mental part is sure to follow. I don’t need to search the Internet, or refer you to a psychologist to tell you that living a fitness lifestyle proves you can stay committed to your other goals if you just try.

Just make sure to consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

Remember, things take time. Rough patches and roadblocks are part of the ride. Nobody is ever an overnight success. We may hear about a person who became rich or famous off a first-time work or business endeavor, but there is usually a lot of blood, sweat, tears…and doubt left behind.