Doubt is natural and can be good. Here’s why you should emb
race it and deal with it.
Business magazines, self-help books and motivational speakers are constantly promoting tips and tricks on how to eliminate doubt, pessimism and paranoia from our thoughts. We’re taught to banish bad thoughts and fear, and press on, faster and stronger.
Positive thinking is the key to overcoming negativity, right? It helps for sure, but a healthy balance of positivity and skepticism is critical for success.
Doubt and skepticism create the kind of resistance that inspires redoubled efforts, keener calculations and more careful examinations of markets, systems and solutions. Doubt is a natural braking mechanism that slows the mind and body down in order to check for safety and soundness.
Doubt invites healthy questions and debates. If you’re doubtful about certain things, chances are that others have similar concerns as well. Face doubt with reasonable questions like these:
- Do our customers truly value our products and services? Are we meeting their needs?
- Do our sales tools address customer problems and how we solve them? Are they clear and on point?
- Do we have our best people in the right spots? Are their roles clear?
When in doubt, talk about it, analyze it and then decide whether to make adjustments or move on.
Believing your own good press can be dangerous. A healthy dose of doubt can keep you more vigilant and responsive.
Have a great week.
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