On Fear and Doubt

“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

You may not realize this right now, but you are more powerful than you think. Your subconscious mind influences your actions. If you believe that you can’t do something, you probably can’t. By thinking that you can’t, you mentally block yourself from being able to do so. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the flip side, if you believe you can, you probably can (or you have a higher possibility of being successful than thinking that you can’t).

Fear gets in the way. Being afraid of failure can be intimidating. You might fear feeling humiliated for trying new or unusual. It’s natural to feel fear, everyone feels it, but if you stay stuck in fear, you never move forward.

Doubt is a devil that gets in the way. Doubt tells you that “you can’t.” It whispers in your ear that “it’s too hard” or “it’s not for me.” Doubt kills your dreams way before you even get to start working towards them.

Fear and doubt can be debilitating, but they’re not as powerful as believing in yourself. Being able to cultivate your own courage is what gets you through the fear and doubt each time they get in the way.

Believing in yourself is the first big step in reaching your goals. By doing so, you give yourself permission to aim high and go for your goals. To many, taking the first step is the hardest part, but after the first step, you start to build forward momentum that takes you on the path towards the life you’ve been dreaming daringly of.

Roderick Conwi is a professional development coach and writes at Nourishment Notes about lifestyle development. He is also the author of The Procrastinator's Quick Guide To Getting It Done. To get powerful insights that enhance your day, join his free newsletter.