Our doubts are traitors

I ran across this quote from William Shakespeare recently and thought it was so relevant, particularly to job seekers.

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.

 The longer one is out of work the more doubts one has about finding the right job, or in this economy, finding a job at all.  We begin to doubt ourselves, our skills, our years of professional knowledge, and our ability to find the challenging, satisfying work we’re seeking. Believe me, I know. 

Fear is a troubling – often debilitating -- feeling that holds us back from learning new things, going in another career direction, starting a new business, reaching out to others for help and guidance.

How do you overcome your doubts? Have you attempted something that has given you a tremendous sense of satisfaction?

The key to conquering, or at least facing, your self doubt is to take on something outside your comfort zone. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a career step…it can be anything that builds a sense of, “I CAN do it.” 

1.  Take a class – any class -- in something that is new and interesting to you to help you acquire new skills: cooking, white water kayaking, Zumba, Spanish, or anything else you might not normally do.
2.  Attend networking meetings to introduce yourself and your career interests. This can help re-focus your thinking to a workplace mindset and expand your contact list.
3.  Set a goal: what about running a half marathon, starting that novel, publish your poetry online, create your own family website, paint your home, take an improv class.
4.  Take advantage of free webinars; they’re available on lots of topics, such as Twitter, starting a small business, financial planning and more. Just do a Google search for topics you're interested in.

Sometimes it's the little steps we take that give us an enormous sense of accomplishment and willingness to tackle something else new and slightly uncomfortable. I have a fear of heights -- not a paralyzing fear but a sense of foreboding and "what if." On a trip to Bandelier National Park, New Mexico, to see the ancient cliff dwellings, one must climb a series of 12 foot "ladders" made of rough trees and branches in order to access the caves on the cliffs. The ladders go straight up. It was scary, but I did it (I made myself!). I told myself then and have reminded myself many times since when I've been apprehensive to do something:

If not now, when?