Doubtful, hesitant, fearful. These words have clouded my thoughts my entire life. I’m literally doubting myself right now as I’m writing this post on doubt. I have so wanted to be a strong person when it comes to decision making, taking charge and acting without fear.
That is what some view as a good leader and by all means I wanted to be a great leader, not just good. But when I am forced with any type of decision or thought my first inclination is to doubt each decision, not just one of them.
I’ve come to realize though that doubt is a great feeling to have. It can be a good thing, serve a bigger purpose, become the prerequisite to success. I’ve started valuing doubt and telling myself that I should absolutely have doubt before anything meaningful shapes in my life. There is benefit in our doubt.
Why We Should Have Doubt
Doubt needs to be present in our lives for us to feel true, deep meaning and understanding. I feel doubt when the decision is huge, when it is tugging on my heart, when it scares me the most. That is when I know that I am onto something truly special because without doubt there is no faith, no risk, no reward, no success, no fulfillment.
Doubt is found within you while at a crossroads in your life, when it feels like you’ve exhausted every option, stressed and anxious. No matter what you do, your finances seem to always disagree with your hopes, your career isn’t exciting you day in and day out, you’ve been trying so hard to lose the weight but it doesn’t seem to want to leave. When things like this happen we begin to doubt not only ourselves but the vehicles that we used to rectify these issues.
This is where doubt can become magical. It can motivate your next move, it can make you think, “There has to be a better way!” It creates an innovative way of thought to make change in your life. Doubt, becoming the prerequisite to a new beginning, and the realization that just maybe what has been packaged as disappointment is truly destiny.
My Doubtful Thoughts
I will always have doubt. The reason, faith. I have realized that faith can’t exist without it. You can’t appreciate a sunny day without a rainy day or a unshakable love without disastrous heartbreak. Cliche, but true. And trust me I’ve had both!
But often times people wait for doubt to leave, thinking that having 100% clarity is the only time to make a meaningful decision that can lead to greatness. I’m with the doubters, the ones that take the risk, the ones that are scared of their career choice, the ones who make a decision that seems insane to others and maybe even themselves but act on it anyway.
Doubt forces a leap of faith, running into the unknown and figuring it out along the way. Doubt is what I think will lead to the hero within you.