Hi, I have been in dilemma for a year. I am from India and have been in a government job for 6 years. A long while back, I started realizing that there is no growth in this job – specifically, where learning is concerned. I have a passion for doing something different and of worth. I want to resign from my job, but sometimes self-doubt surrounds me. Currently I am 35; can I start fresh with my career and passion at this age? My family supports my decision and they know I can do this; the only fear is self-doubt. Kindly, guide me to take the step. – Nisha in Bengaluru, India
Answer:
Thank you for reaching out, Nisha. For almost all of us, self-doubt is always there. The key is to use self-doubt to your advantage.
Self-doubt is like a bitter seed that has taken root. The bitterness in the seed is fear. To remove the root, you must first identify your fear or fears. In your case, your self-doubt surrounding leaving your job to pursue something new could be rooted in fear. It may be the fear of:
- not having a steady paycheck
- losing health benefits
- what your friends or peers will think
- becoming a burden to your family
- feeling loss of security
- feeling unsure of your next steps or path forward
There are so many possibilities. The key step within this process is to identify what is holding you back from leaving your job. Dig deep to understand your feelings and recognize the basis of fear. This is the root of your self-doubt.
Once you have completed the exercise to understand your self-doubt, write out between one and three affirmations for yourself. For example, if your fear is what your friends or peers will think, your affirmation could be, “My friends and peers will respect my courage and confidence to leave my job in pursuit of my true purpose.”
If you only have one core fear that is feeding your self-doubt, you only need one affirmation. If you have two or three fears, write out two or three affirmations. Pick just your top three if you have more than three fears holding you back.
Next, every morning, as soon as you wake up, I want you to read your affirmations out loud. This will reframe your mindset to the positive and be a glorious start to your day.
These affirmations are something to go into your value vault. Now I want you to continue filling it up. List everything you are good at. Don’t be shy! Get it all down. Your list becomes your value vault. You can open it and pull out what you need when feeling self-doubt.
This is a journey and you are on the right path. Work on your affirmations every day and keep adding to your value vault.
With a full value vault and daily affirmations, you’ll be on the road to eliminating self-doubt. With more confidence in yourself and the value you bring, you’ll be ready to take the leap into pursuing your passion. It’s never too late to change careers, and now is an excellent time for you to fearlessly follow your dreams. I wish you luck, Nisha!
Lynn Whitbeck is the co-founder and President of Petite2Queen. She is focused on identifying and evaluating opportunities for women at work, helping them define their personal roadmap. She dedicates herself to delivering tools and insights, embracing visualization of the big picture, and identifying and implementing the minutiae of detail. Lynn aims to share lessons learned along her journey and enable positive uplift for women.