How to take advantage of your doubts?

The impostor syndrome seems to touch half of the working population. It’s often described as seeing ourselves as a fraud. At different degrees, we all have a form of it, from the CEO of the biggest companies to the office clerk. Let’s put a word that we are all familiar with—doubts.

We all have them. 😉

And by the way, if you don’t, it’s even more dangerous. Either you live too much in your comfort zone or you are arrogant. In both cases, it’s not a recipe for success.

In the first case (comfort zone), you’ll build regrets classified by Ware Bronnie in her book “The top five regrets of the dying” as the most common trap for people at the end of their life. In the second case (arrogant), you make more mistakes and hurt many people on the way.

It’s not what happens to us, it’s how we interpret it that makes the difference. Doubts are not bad things. On the contrary, they are signals opening the door to two growth secrets. Learning and Acting…

How to take advantage of your doubts?

Another way to see your doubts.

For me, doubts often come in complex or new situations. How do I know that? I’ve been journaling for more than 5 years, my doubts are different and can touch any compartment of my life, but the pattern is often the same.
My inner voice will try to convince me:

• “This one, you can’t tackle it.”
•  “There are no solutions for this case.”
•  “Should you really spend time and energy on this one? It’s too complex.”
•  “If you fail, what will the others think?”

This shape conducts directly to a cycle of confidence lack. And inevitably, the following minutes, hours, weeks, months, years — depending on your ability to get out of it—leads to inaction.
There is no need to be a genius to recognize that this route is a sure way to fail.😀

How to take advantage of your doubts?

Welcome doubts. Happy that you pay a visit. I’m on an exciting topic that will help me to learn and grow.

•  Why are you here?
•  What I don’t know about the topic?
•  What do I need to know to make a better decision?
•  Where can I find the information?
•  Who can help me?

Thank you again for your visit. I feel much better, and I have a plan now. I still doubt if it’s the right one, but it’s not bad. As you have taught me, the feedback from my first actions will help me modify and adapt my plan. This continuous improvement process will lead to my best possible options…

And by the way, I’ll have a clear explanation with my internal voice. She wanted to fool me again. When I think that I almost believed her.

The two secrets to move to the next steps…

1.The art of Learning.

Josh Waitzkin was one of the most talented American chess players and a world champion in Tai chi martial arts. He explains in his book “The art of learning” that managing the macro through the micro is essential.
He suggests that you start learning chess not with the complex opening but more with the empty closing. Learn to understand the king and pawn moving alone instead of the infinite combination at the opening game. He recommends spending time at a slow speed moving before integrating rapidity in the mix.

“We have to be able to do something slowly before we can have any hope of doing it correctly with speed.”
-Josh Waitzkin

What can we learn from Josh’s expertise in the business world?

Each time we encounter complexity or novelty, which initiates the doubt process, let’s cut the complexity into pieces. Let’s dig and learn on these fragments and come back to the global puzzle stronger, ready to make a better decision.

For my first 10 years, I worked in the French market. My English was very poor, and I couldn’t have a business discussion.
Once, I got a business opportunity to develop the eastern Europe market. Despite all my doubts, I accepted the challenge. I had a quarter in front of me to improve my English capabilities. I break down my challenges in many small pieces and prioritize the first one,” being able to negotiate with a partner in English.” I searched resources on this subject and sprint for a quarter.
I spent 4 years in this division and had a lot of successes. Retrospectively, it turns out to be a massive accelerator of my career.
You never know what will happen when you transform your doubts into positive actions…

2. The art of acting.

Launching your first actions gives you access to feedback, which is the raw material needed for your next learning steps. Start to shoot bullets, learn from them and be ready for the cannonball if needed. You create a positive loop.

Success comes from the ability to integrate feedback and keep consistency. With actions, you build/rebuild the confidence cycle.

Conclusion.

Next time doubts knock on your door. Welcome them. It’s not a wrong signal; it’s a chance to grow.
Our time is limited. Let’s take our chances now and avoid regrets later. Use the learning and actions tool to enjoy your next challenges.