One of the worst things we experience is doubt, beit self-doubt or being doubted by others. Doubt can take you away from your dreams. It can push you into depression. It can fill your life with headache and heartache. However, if you can overcome doubt and prove to yourself and others that you won’t be stopped, then you have the capability of doing anything.
Doubt can come in many forms. The one that gets most of us is self-doubt. We doubt if we’re good enough. We doubt if we belong. This self-doubt can strip you of your abilities. I’ve watched so many people during my time have all the ability in the world to be successful and because they doubted themselves they struggled. We become hesitant, we let others pass us up and take a role that should be ours. We let people we love and care about walk away. We doubt that person feels the same away about us. We doubt ourselves into believing we aren’t good enough to be with them.
Another form of doubt is when we are doubted by others. I’ve seen and heard it all to often in sports. Fans, teammates and parents will doubt a players ability and comment on them for not thinking they can make a play. The common expression’s are, “You Suck”, “You’re Terrible”, “Why Are You Out Here”. Over time a person will begin to let those expressions and that constant doubt from others begin to shape their own feelings of themselves. Which often times leads back to self-doubt.
When I got injured in High School, I let doubt take over. I doubted I would be able to play again. I doubted colleges would be interested in me. I begin to doubt myself. I heard parents talking after I got hurt, some said that I really wasn’t hurt, that I was just scared and didn’t want to play anymore. I finally looked in the mirror and said from this day forward I will not let others dictate or control what I do or how I feel. Oh, there are still times that comments, words and actions still have a barring on what I do. But the self-doubt is gone. I try to push myself everyday to be better. I want to be an example for my boys and others on what hard work and the desire to be successful can do for you.
I have used the self-doubt and doubt from others as motivation. I know the times that I’m going to be the best at something are numbered. However, I will be the best me I can be. What I have is the desire to work harder than you. I do it at the gym everyday, I’m older than most but I don’t want to lose at anything. I was picking on Deuces this week on a couple of things and he said you know I’m going to be bigger than you. Thus I will be able to take you. I said there is no doubt you are going to be bigger. However, I know what I can do. Being bigger, being stronger isn’t always going to make you better. When your opinion has the desire to not lose, the desire to never quit then you have to be ready to outwork them. You’re not going to outwork me. I’m not doubting his ability, this was a chance for me to push him. He has used things people have said against him as motivation, this was another bullet in his gun. There is not doubt in my mind when he finally learns what it takes to outwork me, then he has me. That’s going to be a long time away though and something I’m not going to tell him, it will be something he has to learn on his own.
If you can use doubt as motivation then you will be able to overcome many tough times. Don’t let self-doubt and the doubt from others take you away from being you. Face everyday, every opportunity knowing that you are the best. Never doubt what you can do. You are the only one who can be you. You are the only one who can do what you do.
Enjoy your day!
TCB