Fear and self-doubt can hinder your ability to reach your goals. If you would like some strategies for how to overcome doubt, here are some practical ways to move through hesitation and take that important first step. It’s not just about starting; it’s about every step you take to keep moving forward. Each decision you make in choosing a direction is crucial for accomplishing what you want. Remember, every journey begins with the decision to move forward and keep moving.

Once I decided I wanted to write a book, I took courses on writing, book publishing, and what it takes to do so. I completed all the modules – twice! I read books – about books. All the knowledge about how to do it was invaluable, but it wasn’t the key to actually starting and getting it done. Many people get stuck on the “how”. But you can know “how” and still be derailed by indecision, procrastination, and devastating insecurity. And even though the classes I took and the books I read covered the fear and doubt I was experiencing, they continually threatened to kill my project before it could be realized.

It took me three years to write this small book. It took me three years to finally get it done. I stopped working on it to do other things. Then, I would work on it a little bit. Then stop again. COVID happened. I was trying to keep our non-profit organization functioning in the midst of that. We moved. Pick your distraction. Life happens.

For the life of me, I couldn’t write consistently – one of the most essential practices in the art of writing. Procrastination was a constant companion and something I still need to manage. Somehow, I got the idea that writing a book was “not that hard”. That it “shouldn’t take that long”, and worst of all, I was nearly convinced that I didn’t have any business writing a book. Poppycock.

What actually helped me the most was being present to those fears and doubts, as well as the expectations and assumptions that, like a computer virus, were running unchecked in the background. Recognizing their presence, understanding their purpose, challenging my assumptions and expectations, and acknowledging my resistance because of those is what helped me move forward.

So if you are experiencing fear and doubt about something you want to do:

1. Acknowledge and accept the fear and doubt that you feel. Let them be there. It doesn’t mean you like them, just that you know they are operating in your experience. When you try to push them down and ignore them, they do not go away. By acknowledging them, you have a choice about how you respond.
2. Understand that they are emotions that, at some time in our lives, may have helped to keep us safe. Or at least we thought they did. It’s more likely they are perceptions based on inaccurate information. Is there any truth in the fear or doubt? Or could they be serving another purpose, such as making sure you check and double-check your facts before you proceed?
3. Identify the assumptions you have and challenge them. The word “should” is a big red flag. Notice when you use it and delete it from your vocabulary. The word “should” implies that things can turn out differently than they do or did. That’s not possible.
4. Flush out your expectations. Whenever we have an expectation that is not fulfilled, we have set ourselves up for disappointment. We rarely know if a situation or person will meet the expectations we have of them. Anger, frustration and disappointment come when they don’t. Expectations are based on what we want or expect, which implies a level of certainty about the experience. When your experience doesn’t reflect what you thought or wanted to happen, you are disappointed. It’s best to drop expectations and do what you can to promote the outcome you want. Then understand that what happened is what it is, whether it met the expectation or not.

If you try these strategies to help yourself start and/or keep moving forward, let me know how it goes. Good luck.