How to Stop Doubting Yourself: Simple Tips You Can Use

Struggling with self-doubt? Discover simple tips to boost your confidence and take charge of your life today

You know that little voice in your head? The one that whispers “maybe you’re not good enough” just when you’re about to try something new?

Yeah, that one. I’ve spent years getting to know mine, and I want to share something personal with you about it.

Last summer, I sat at my desk staring at a blank document. My fingers hovered over the keyboard while that familiar feeling crept in—that icy sensation of not being quite ready, not being quite good enough.

Self-doubt had pulled up a chair, uninvited as usual, making itself comfortable in my mind.

But something was different that day. Instead of letting it paralyse me, I started writing about the doubt itself.

And that’s when I realised—maybe we’ve been looking at self-doubt all wrong. Maybe it’s not the enemy we think it is.

Think about it like this: remember learning to ride a bike? That nervous feeling before taking off the training wheels wasn’t trying to stop you—it was trying to keep you safe.

Self-doubt works the same way. It’s like an overprotective friend who means well but sometimes needs to be gently told to take a step back.

Through my own stumbles and victories with self-doubt, I’ve discovered some simple ways to work with it rather than against it.

They’re not magic solutions, but rather gentle practices that have helped me find my footing when doubt threatens to throw me off balance.

One thing that’s worked wonders for me is keeping what I call my “evidence list.” Whenever something goes well—whether it’s nailing a presentation or simply handling a tough conversation with grace—I jot it down.

When doubt creeps in (and trust me, it still does), I pull out this list. It’s like having a highlight reel of your capabilities right at your fingertips.

Sometimes, though, doubt shows up as a parade of “what if” questions.

What if I fail? What if people laugh? What if everything goes wrong?

I’ve learned to flip these questions on their heads.

What if it all goes right? What if this becomes the story I tell others about taking chances?

It’s amazing how this simple switch can change the entire picture in your mind.

Here’s another little trick I’ve discovered: when a task feels overwhelming, I zoom in until I can see just one tiny step.

Writing a book? Today I’ll just write one paragraph.

Starting a business? Today I’ll just research one aspect.

It’s like eating an elephant (not that I’ve tried!)—you can only do it one bite at a time.

The real game-changer for me has been learning to sit with doubt without fighting it.

When those familiar worried thoughts surface, I take a deep breath and just notice them.

“Oh, hello doubt, you’re back,” I’ll think. No judgement, no struggle. Just awareness.

It’s surprising how much power doubt loses when you stop trying to push it away.

And sometimes, doubt actually directs us towards what matters most. Think about it—we rarely doubt things we don’t care about.

That nervous feeling before sharing your art? It means you care about creativity. Worried about a presentation? It means you value doing good work.

Seen this way, doubt can be a compass pointing towards what’s important to us.

I’ve also learned to celebrate the small wins along the way. Finished a draft? That deserves a moment of recognition.

Made a difficult phone call? Give yourself credit.

These little celebrations aren’t about being perfect—they’re about acknowledging progress, no matter how small.

The truth is, overcoming self-doubt isn’t about eliminating it entirely. It’s more like learning to dance with it. Some days you’ll lead confidently; other days you might step on its toes, but you keep moving forward either way.

Every time you feel doubt and take action anyway, you’re building a bridge between who you are and who you’re becoming. Each small step, each tiny victory, adds another plank to that bridge.

So the next time self-doubt pulls up a chair, try greeting it like an old acquaintance who means well but doesn’t need to run the show.

Pour it a cup of tea if you must, but don’t let it make your decisions for you. Your dreams are too important for that.

And hey, if you’re feeling doubt while reading this—wondering if you can really handle your own self-doubt differently—that’s okay. It just means you’re alive, you’re growing, and you’re ready for something new.

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