DEALING WITH SELF-DOUBT

 SELF-DOUBT :  A COMMON HABIT WITH UNCOMMON EFFECTS

Do you ever find yourself questioning your abilities? You know the thought: "Do I still got it, or should I forget it?" Questioning your ability to achieve your goals, whatever they may be? If your answer is "yes", you are not alone. It's quite ok to engage in a bit of introspection from time to time. The danger only arises when you try to reach a definitive conclusion, especially when you haven't exhausted all avenues available to you. That is unfailingly the kiss of death! This act of questioning oneself is politely known as "self-doubt". Most of us who do it frequently believe that it is harmless or helps us to improve our capabilities. But, if indulged carelessly, it provides an escape hatch to mediocrity and inability to achieve our desired goals.

THE NECESSITY OF INDEPENDENT THINKING

Let us remember that our life's achievements are the result of our mental visions translated into their physical equivalent. In other words, everything begins as a thought. The familiar saying "Whatever a man's mind can conceive and believe, he can achieve" sums the situation up perfectly. Do not think for a minute that this information is psycho-babble or psychiatry. As usual, information given here challenges accepted norms and encourages independent thinking. Many of our accepted behaviors and "established facts" are flat out wrong when examined in the light of reality. That is why conscious pursuit of goal achievement requires our redefinition of the "norms". We cannot allow anyone to encourage us to belittle ourselves and sell ourselves short, especially when trying to achieve our goals.
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THE MENTAL EFFECTS OF SELF-DOUBT
Which brings us back to the relationship between "self-doubt"and achieving goals.  As already mentioned, most of us engage in it at one time or another . Whenever we do so, it enables the planting of a mental seed of inability in our mental picture of our own self-image. This seed can grow into a self-crippling tree if allowed to feed on other negative thoughts, nourished by additional "failures" to achieve our goals.  To harbor the thought that maybe you no longer "got it" (have the ability) to achieve whatever goal you are pursuing, is pronouncing closure on a case in progress. Humans are always in a state of learning and evolving. Why pronounce a judgment on a matter that is ongoing or undecided? Only your physical death can prove whether you "had it" or not!

PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE
Previously, you were informed that "failure" is simply an indication of one's level of preparedness to do a particular task. This misnomer has been associated with our abilities and has become mentally definitive of our total capabilities. We see other human beings wallowing in the mud-pit of mental mediocrity because they view themselves as "failures". Instead of recognizing their lack of preparation for the goals they want in life, they stigmatize themselves as  never having the ability to accomplish anything of significance. This false concept has become so entrenched that the phrase "I can't do that" is common-place and believed, even when the task has not been attempted!

AN INSIDIOUS QUESTION

So next time this question should come to mind, do not welcome it nor give it a resting place. It is one of the most insidious questions you will ever encounter in your short lifespan!  The reality of it is, you are being asked to pronounce  a conclusive analysis on your life's abilities and capacity to achieve your goals even before you have died! You are not, and won't ever be, in that knowledgeable a position to answer that question. Only the people whose lives you have impacted along the years are in a position to pronounce judgment on the overall type of person you were. And even they have to wait until your pursuit of,  your life's goals is completely ended to answer that question!


LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
In our "inspiration centers", you will see and hear from countless personalities who battled through far worse obstacles than you have now. Yet they won through. One thread runs through all their messages: "give yourself enough time to see the results of your activities on the world". Friend, whoever and wherever you  are reading this, know that you are a work in progress, a powerful work in progress, and, if you will give yourself enough time to finish and polish the task, the world will gasp in awe and surprise at the miracle you have manifested. Any time you should ever wonder if you still got it, say without any doubt in your mind, "you betcha!".