If you want to be successful, let go of these 9 doubts

What Do You Want To Succeed At?

A woman with curly red hair, wearing a yellow shirt, sits at a desk with a laptop and notebooks. She has her arms raised in a victory pose, smiling with her eyes closed. The desk is adorned with plants and office supplies, and a shelf with decor is in the background.

Success. It’s one of those words that has both positive and negative connotations.

But it’s only negative if you let someone else define what success actually means to you.

One thing is for sure though, people who succeed at what they set out to do, do so because they don’t let these 9 fears and doubts stand in their way.

1. “I Won’t Succeed At This”

A person wearing a bright blue jacket and an orange backpack stands on a mountain summit with arms raised in triumph, overlooking a lush, green landscape shrouded in mist. The morning sun breaks through clouds, illuminating the scene with a warm, golden light.

You’ll never hear a successful person say that they won’t succeed either in life or in a particular task.

Successful people have ambition. And ambition is an intrinsic motivator. If you want to succeed you need to truly believe that no matter how hard you have to strive for success and no matter how long it takes, you will ultimately get there.

The power of positive self-talk can’t be underestimated. The reverse is also true, so telling yourself that you will fail is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The power of words – even if they are unspoken and only in your head – is huge.

2. “Other People Will Laugh At Me”

Three people, dressed in business attire, share a high-five in a bright office setting. One person, a woman, is smiling joyfully. The scene conveys a sense of teamwork and celebration.

It never occurs to a successful go-getter that they won’t be taken seriously by others.

If you want to succeed you need to have a high regard for yourself and your abilities, which in turn earns the respect of peers and superiors alike. If you don’t take yourself seriously, then neither will others.

Developing self-respect and learning to value your own contributions is a fundamental building block on the road to success.

3. “It’ll Be Awful If I Fail”

A woman wearing a light blue blouse sits at a desk with her eyes closed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration or fatigue. There are papers, a pencil, a laptop, and office supplies on the desk. The background shows a whiteboard with sticky notes.

Fear of failure isn’t something that burdens goal-oriented folk. They understand that failure isn’t all bad, not least because you often learn more from mistakes than from successes.

To be successful you need to take calculated risks, some of which pay off and others which don’t.

The key is to understand that failing to get off the starting line is the biggest failure of all.

4. “It’s Just Too Hard”

A male mechanic wearing a grey t-shirt and blue overalls sits at a cluttered workbench in a dimly lit garage. He looks tired, wiping sweat from his forehead with a white towel draped over his shoulder. Various tools and equipment are scattered around the workspace.

You won’t catch a successful person complaining that a task is too hard or that they’ll be unable to do it.

You need to accept that nothing in life comes easily, or at least nothing that is worth having.

So get your head down and put in the effort needed to reach your goal.

As self-help author Napoleon Hill says: Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it.

5. “Too Many Things Stand In My Way”

A man sitting at a desk holds his neck and back in discomfort. He is wearing a light blue shirt over a white T-shirt. In front of him are a laptop, a notebook, and a cup, with a plant on the desk. A window in the background reveals a blurred outdoor scene.

If you’re burdened with self-doubt, you’ll likely see challenges and problems that arise as insurmountable barriers to your success.

By contrast, to be successful it’s important not to give in to such defeatist attitudes. Relish these bumps in the road, understanding that adversity along the way makes the ultimate destination all the sweeter.

6. “It’s Not The Right Time”

A fashion designer in a gray suit sits in front of a board displaying various garment sketches. They are looking thoughtfully at the drawings, which include designs for dresses and outfits in different colors and styles.

So much time is wasted by procrastinating and waiting for the ‘perfect moment’ to start on a task or a project.

In fact, the excuses for delaying can be so protracted that ultimately nothing happens at all.

Ambitious people understand that the endless wait for the stars to be perfectly aligned is just a waste of precious time. They just get started and focus their energies on the ultimate goal.

As ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

If you never take that first step, clearly no one’s going anywhere, literally or metaphorically. The best time to start is right now, even if it’s just a baby step. So quit with the excuses already!

7. “I Might Not Enjoy Success”

A bearded man wearing glasses and a green shirt sits on a couch with a laptop on his lap. He is stretching his arms overhead and smiling, appearing relaxed and happy. Behind him is a cozy, well-lit room with wooden furniture and decor.

Don’t waste your energy worrying how you’ll cope with success should it come your way.

Success is a reward for your hard work, positive attitude, and entrepreneurial spirit. How could you not enjoy that?

And if you don’t? Well, just learn from it and move on.

8. “Others Are Far More Talented Than Me”

A woman with her hair tied back in a ponytail is seen from behind, looking at herself in a large mirror. She wears a white tank top and gazes at her reflection with a thoughtful expression. The background features a white wall and a decorative element.

Making comparisons between your own abilities and those of others is always a bad idea. You’ll inevitably end up believing yourself to be inferior.

If you constantly try to mimic others who you believe to be ‘better’ than you, it’s likely that you’ll always fall short.

That’ll only undermine your self-confidence further and intensify your idea of your own inferiority.

Cultivate a sense of your strengths and competencies and don’t waste your time making such comparisons.

You need to accept and appreciate your own unique talents and aim to be the best version of yourself. Ditching the urge to compare yourself with friends and co-workers is a hugely positive first step.

Observe the way they operate, for sure, and be open to learning from them. But don’t let those massively negative emotions – jealousy and resentment – creep in.

Remember that you are not that person; you are you – so be true to yourself.

9. “I’m Just Not Good/Worthy Enough”

A woman with long brown hair and wearing a pink sweater and blue jeans sits on the floor against a wall, looking distressed. She rests her forehead on her hand and has an expression of concern, with a bed and wardrobe visible in the background.

If your default setting is to say you’re not good enough or worthy enough, then you’re more likely to give up when you meet the inevitable bumps in the road.

Successful people aren’t quitters and they never say that they’re not good enough.

As the song goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

I reckon that neatly sums up the attitude that successful people have toward problems they encounter. After all, ambition’s indispensable partner is perseverance.

Finally…

A man and a woman sitting on stools, painting on canvases mounted on easels in an art studio. The man, wearing a green checkered shirt, smiles at the camera while holding a palette and brush. The woman, in a white top, is focused on her painting of flowers.

I hope that these final words will encourage you to ditch those nagging doubts, set your eyes on the prize, and fulfill your unique potential.

We only have one chance at this life, so wouldn’t it be a shame not to make the most of our allotted span by keeling over and giving in to negativity?

“Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success” – Lao Tzu.