Insecurity and self-doubt are annoying at best and debilitating at worst. It’s something that plagues even the most confident of us. In a recent article released on Forbes.com titled “Overcoming the Biggest Challenge in Business: Your Own Insecurity,” contributing writer Cheryl Conner explores the insecurities that burden entrepreneurs and how they use those doubts to fuel their own success.
Today there are so many outside pressures put on women to be the best – the best mom, the best friend, the best wife, the best boss, etc; we could use a little help combatting that ever nagging voice of self-doubt. We also tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves, and can become our own worst enemy when we allow insecurity to get in the way of fulfilling our goals. But could it be possible to harness that insecurity and use it to launch ourselves forward – to motivation rather than inhibit?
In the Forbes article psychiatrist, Dr. Elana Miller, discusses the way in which some entrepreneurs have been able to do just that. Through her studies, Miller has found that the “psychology of doubt” has actually been a motivation, rather than a hindrance, for many entrepreneurs. The article features the testimonials of many successful entrepreneurs recounting how insecurity affects their daily lives, how they have over come it, and how they ultimately utilize it.
Some inspirational and thought provoking highlights:
“I face doubt daily. I’m not sure if that’s normal, but I’ve accepted that I have to overcome doubt every day in order to get anything done.” – Corbett Bar, Founder of Think Traffic
“I knew I was going to need to overcome those fears and create a “success mindset.” The way I decided to do that was by doing “mindset pushups” every single day.” – Sibyl Chavis, Founder of The Possibility of Tomorrow Today
“Taking small steps to grow my business doesn’t feel overwhelming and that helps me break through self-doubt and accomplish my goals.” Tammy Strobel, Creator of Rowdy Kittens
It is refreshing to read the candid stories of successful people and their own struggles with insecurity, because it makes you realize that even the most successful people struggle with the same sorts of insecurity and self-doubt.
I’ll never forget the first time self-doubt creeped into the back of my head, where it remains today. I was about ten years old and I had decided I wanted to be an actress. There was no doubt in my mind that this was a real possibility – the naivety of a ten year old in all its glory. So naturally, when a family friend asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said, without shame or irony, an actress. This is when the woman scoffed at me – literally laughed out loud, and told me “good luck with that.” I may have only been ten, but being the product of my father’s dry sense of humor, I understood sarcasm all too well.
That was the first time someone had blatantly told me I could not do something, and the first time I remember feeling the pangs of self-doubt. Not surprisingly, this was just the start of my dealings with naysayers and insecurity, but I have since learned it is best to quiet or just completely ignore those voices and move forward.
Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul and Shark Tank member, writes, “It’s so hard to shake those things you carry with you from your childhood and past. But if you have something like that inside of you, wrap your arms around it and make it your friend. Find a way to use it. Insecurity makes you run. What’s wrong with that?” And I think her advice holds very true.
There will always be people who don’t want to see you succeed, for whatever reason, but that should never affect the way you view yourself and your own capabilities. It’s amazing how far confidence and drive can get a person; take the testimonials from fellow entrepreneurs as proof. So grab that insecurity and use it as your drive to succeed.
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Kayla Koterbay, a UCSB graduate, is currently pursuing her Masters of Mass Communications and New Media at San Jose State University. With a background in finance, she’s interested in the intersections between economics, women, and community. Connect with Kayla on LinkedIn.
