Self-doubt – the enemy you must defeat

My passions include speaking, writing and food. So it’s no surprise that my favourite shows include Masterchef Australia, Professional Masterchef and The Final Table. I’m intrigued by both the creative process and the transformation in the contestants.

The Final Table is one of the highest levels of cooking competitions there is. Many of the contestants have Michelin stars, hats, and other accolades. They own or work in the best restaurants and are celebrated within their fields.

Some contestants referred to themselves as underdogs while others talked about the validation they would finally get or earning the respect of their competitors

The question as I watched them is, ‘why?’ Why couldn’t they see how good they already are, why do they need outside validation? Why were they trying to be the best rather than doing their best? Why did they need this one title to believe they are good?

They had already accomplished what newer chefs are striving for but it wasn’t enough. There’s a good chance that winning this would still not be enough.

Self-doubt is an enemy we all need to defeat The pursuit of perfection can steal our joy if we let it.

At the end, some contestants remained joyful and many left on a positive note reflecting on what they had learnt. Others left inconsolable because they only saw what it had cost them rather than the joy that was now set before them.

The joys of new experiences and ideas, renewed drive and passion, collaborations and friendships. The opportunities of meeting their food heroes, using ingredients or cooking a cuisine they had never seen, tasted or cooked.

I recognise some of this self-doubt in myself. One thing that has recently brought this home is the journey to publish my second book, ‘The Purposeful Life Project’.

From idea conception, I doubted and wondered who would read it, during the writing process, I wondered if it was good enough and at the end of writing it, I felt like crawling under the duvet and forgetting I had written it. I was hesitant to share the work with others but knew I had to.

When the first proper review of the manuscript came back, it was glowing and there was a glimmer of hope but I was conscious that just as easily, the self-doubt could be back.

So how did I deal with self-doubt?

Here are some thoughts:

Remind myself of ‘My Why’

I knew I couldn’t take the credit for the inspiration so I reminded myself of how the inspiration came about and how this wasn’t about me. It was about the lives that would be touched by the book. Reminding myself that self-doubt would stand in the way of others kept me going.

Speak to others

Take people with you on your journey and open up to them. They will help you see more objectively. Don’t be afraid to share your work and remember feedback is your friend so stop seeing it as an enemy. You can only get better with honest feedback.

Find a coach or mentor

Working with someone who can challenge, encourage and review your work or progress is helpful in battling self-doubt. The right coach will help you avoid self-sabotage and stop you from being too critical of yourself.

Lean on your friends and families

They are there for you. We all have people who will cheer us on and we need to find them. Sometimes it won’t be the people we expect but it doesn’t matter. Find the right people and you won’t feel alone.

Faith

My faith in God means I see myself through His eyes. I’m reminded I’m enough regardless of what I’m currently working on. I’m not defined by the next project or book that I work on. My worth is not tied to what I create, it is tied to my Creator.

Check out the book, ‘The Purposeful Life Project’, on Amazon.

It would make a wonderful Christmas gift as I have no doubt it will change people’s lives.

You can find a link in the ‘Book’ section or Click here

Thanks again for reading my post. Please share with others and bless someone with the book. See you next week.