You got this: 10 ways to overcome self doubt

Photo: Sydney Rae

As creative professionals, and especially for freelancers, it can be difficult to continually put your work ‘out there’, particularly when you have a career that doesn’t always have perfect formulas that equate to guaranteed success. There is no scientific equation to make a logo look better or a book cover more successful – what will work for one client will not work for another. Although some may swear by their tried and tested methods, their work is still up for scrutiny – some people will love it and some will hate it, that’s the nature of the game.

Of course we know this – we readily tell other creatives not to be so hard on themselves when they face criticism or disappointment, yet meanwhile we wince over negative feedback or about the pitch we just lost. We are our own worst enemies. But if you have never battled with self doubt then I would suggest you’re not pushing your work enough. If you have battled with those self-doubt demons, you’re not alone. In fact, I think you’re on to something because it means you have goals that you haven’t yet reached and it means you want to produce better work. It can, however, cloud our thinking or stop us finding fulfilment in our work while we’re trying to figure it all out. Here are ten ways to help you overcome self doubt:

1. Put yourself forward

It’s the weirdest thing when someone says to me, "I wish I could do *insert whatever great/different/weird thing I’ve done here*. I’d just feel too nervous,” they say, and I think, "well, I felt pretty nervous too, actually". There may be people who are completely laid back about everything, but don’t be fooled into thinking that confident people don’t have self doubts too – they just do stuff anyway. Apply for the job you thought you hadn’t a chance in hell of getting, try contacting people you never expect to reply and put your work out there even though it’s not perfect. Putting half finished projects out there is better than nothing, stop waiting for the perfect day when you’ll have confidence nailed – you won’t. Just do it anyway and you’ll realise that’s what confidence is really all about: take on that challenge, start that creative project, write that blog post... (okay, okay, I’m on it...).

2. Know YOUR BOUNDARIES

Although I’ve just told you to sign up for stuff, this goes hand in hand with knowing your boundaries too. Know when to say no when things aren’t right – try not to be a people pleaser. It helps to determine your boundaries before a job so you're not put on the spot – for example, though it may sound obvious, work out what the minimum amount you’re willing to work for is and don’t go below it, no matter how much people sweet talk you. In this industry people expect you to work for free all too often so preempt them and give yourself rules to combat them (it may be things like never agreeing to a price over the phone, or not answering emails after 6pm). If people react badly to this it’s a sure sign you’re not a good fit, so give yourself permission to walk away. If you genuinely want the best outcomes for a job and don’t want to cut corners, you have to say no on occasion.

3. Stop listening to ‘well-intentioned’ pessimists

That's the polite name for them. You know the ones: they tell you your dreams are too big or your goals are unachievable. The offer unsolicited advice or tell you not to have your head in the clouds so much. They tell you you have too much time on your hands if you voluntarily learn new skills or experiment with your work. Ultimately, many of these people are just jealous – perhaps they have squashed their own creative ambitions to work a low-paid job or have not had the confidence to run with their own ideas. Learn to recognise the patterns in speech from people like this (I guarantee you the same things will repeat). Note: this doesn’t mean rejecting all advice that is challenging, but good advice will always leave you with positive actions to work on that align with your goals.

4. Surround yourself with good people

Following on from point number three, if you realise you’re actually sat in a room full of well intentioned pessimists, get out. Now. Surround yourself with good people - people who will encourage you. Good people are not always ‘yes’ people either – they know you well enough to tell you when you’re barking up the wrong tree, but ultimately they will be cheering you on to greater things. If you are struggling to find positive input, another good way to get this is to listen to podcasts or read books by people who encourage and share wisdom.

5. CHALLENGE YOUR MINDSET

It’s weird how things stay with us – negative experiences, illnesses, people who’ve mistreated us, past failures. It’s easy to think that because something has always been a certain way that it will always be that way or that life will always result in those things. This not only affects our day to day wellbeing but our attitude to our work – it can often feel too personal. Sometimes things can take a while to overcome. if you grew up without a lot of money, for example, it can be much more challenging to place value on your work and get out of a poverty mindset. If you’ve always done things a set way, it’s not too late to try something new. Start to invest in your mindset as much as you invest in your skills. You deserve success as much as the next person, so start making steps to respect yourself. Ask for help if you need it.

6. List your achievements

When you question whether you’re good enough, look back at what you’ve already achieved. I can guarantee it will be more than you think. Write a list of everything you’re proud of – work you’ve accomplished, compliments you’ve been given, challenges you’ve overcome. Before you know it you’ll realise you’re not doing so bad after all.

7. Stop talking yourself down

Us Brits are pretty bad at this and for some reason women in particular are trained at this from an early age. When someone offers a compliment, it’s the norm to play it down or act like it never mattered to you. I have no idea why this exists in our culture, but it sucks. You probably don’t even realise you’re doing it. When someone offers you a compliment, say thank you. Now shut up. Zip it. Don’t give anyone reason to question you, most of all yourself.

Your hair looks great by the way.

No, really.

8. Quit (sometimes)

Sometimes it’s wise to just stop and walk away from work if you’re stuck in a rut with it. Often you’ll find that having a break will re-set your brain and looking at things with fresh eyes after a walk or a day off can bring a fresh perspective. You may also find that if you’re overworked or tired that this affects your mood which in turn affects how you feel about your work. Did you get a good sleep last night? Did you eat your breakfast? Honestly, the amount of times I don't realise I just need a sandwich. God, I really need a sandwich…

9. Stop compariSON

Sure, Mr Super Illustrator just posted some amazeballs work on Instagram – and yes, it’s better than yours. BUT, he can’t do everything that you can do. Yes, you may not be as good as some people, but isn’t that true for everyone? Think about it, can Mr Super Illustrator design his own typefaces? Can he animate them in 3D? Can he carve a portrait of his head into marble? He can? Shit, you have some work to do. Okay, so even if he can, he is not you. You approach clients in a completely unique way – your ideas are entirely individual and you tackle jobs totally differently. Not better, different. You have no idea what help, money or education has aided other people’s work behind the scenes, and you may well be at the same level by now if you had the same opportunities. There’s no reason why you can’t aim to achieve what those you admire have. There is room for us all, but you need to stop trying to be like everyone else.

10. Go sit on a mountain

Seriously. Go sit on top of a mountain and feel ridiculously unimportant. Embrace your smallness. It feels strangely good.

Then run back down singing The Hills Are Alive.

Or something.