Overcoming Self-Doubt

This article is written by Danny Myers and published by Crossroads Professional Coaching.

I don’t know what to write about. It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog.

But here I am, doing it.

I’ve been told I’m good at writing. But I rarely believe that about myself. I rarely believe any of the compliments people give me.

Why is that?

Facing the Cause of Self-Doubt

The most logical thing to me is imposter syndrome (in other words, self-doubt). I have always felt like a fraud. I’ve always been wary of trusting the compliments people give me, and often shrug them off as niceties, kindness, or sympathy, so they don’t hurt my feelings.

Am I that delicate? Maybe. Maybe not.

But I think the ultimate truth is that I let the devil into my mind too often. I fail to trust in the gifts that God has given me. I fail to see the truth. I listen to the lies instead.

Am I afraid to face the truth? Deep down, do I not want to believe what people tell me because I’m afraid of failing?

Now we’re getting into the roots of it.

Fear. Self-doubt. Doubt in general. All things the devil feeds off of to convince us of his lies. These are characteristics he uses against me, making it easier for me to believe the lies than to face the truth.

Because if I face the truth, I don’t know what will happen. I risk failure.

So it’s easier to freeze. It’s easier to convince myself that I’m not good enough. That I’m not good at anything.

Why is that?

We’re All Human, We’re All Broken In Some Way

I’m broken. I’m a fallen human. At my core is a twisted part of me that wants to believe and do whatever I want. I am fearful of the failure I imagine.

I can’t succeed. I can’t win. I can’t…

My sick, inner self enjoys refuting the truth so I can take the easier path… to nothing. Nowhere.

If I don’t do anything, I can’t fail. Because I never even tried. That’s what the devil wants. He wants me to lie down and give up.

How do I overcome this? How do I stop believing the lies? How do I move past this seemingly insurmountable barrier?

Overcoming Self-Doubt

The reality is I can’t. God can.

I have to face that and trust in Him. I have to realize that failing to do anything is failure in itself. That giving up is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I have to have faith.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
– Hebrews 11:1-3

This is my solution to self-doubt and the devil’s lies. Today, I have faith in the talents God has given me. I have faith that He will carry me through any hardship I face.

I have faith that the omnipotent creator of the universe knows much more than I do.

Overcoming self-doubt can only be accomplished by putting my faith in the one who loves me and has a purpose for me.

I choose to believe Him and what He has in store for me.