It took one instant for her confidence to turn into doubt and then self-doubt. At first she thought the other dog might be her friend but then the mutt pulled a weird face and it was no longer clear, ‘maybe she doesn’t like me after all?!’, my dog thought. Her tail immediately stopped wagging as she rolled onto her back in her submissive, ‘I‘m not worthy’ position hoping this would make the mutt accept her.
We’re so similar to dogs in many ways. Doubt can so quickly take over and affect our behavior. In some instances this can stop us from getting hurt and in other instances it can be the cause of us getting hurt. When we understand why we are feeling doubtful and learn how to contain it, we can know when to use it to make decisions or discard it as a hindering self-doubt.
Doubt can be a remedy or a disease. Knowing whether to listen to your doubt or ignore it is what makes it either harmful or helpful.
Amelia Kruse is a Certified Leadership Coach based in New York working with professionals and entrepreneurs globally.