#ThinkfullyHabit: Doubt it
Many of us prefer to keep doubt at arm’s length. It can feel like the enemy, especially if it renders us unable to make progress, blocks our ability to make decisions and causes us to pontificate rather than move forward.
But what if a nagging feeling of doubt or a chronic sense of unease was actually more helpful than not? Like many things it may be what we do with it that’s more important than whether we have it or not.
“Self-doubt actually improves your performance in many areas of life… If you have self-doubt then you’re questioning yourself, you’re wondering if there are new ways of doing things, you are open to changing, you don’t believe that you’ve got the best way, or the best strategy; you’re always looking and experimenting.”
WHY?
As strange as it may first sound, self-doubt can make us more effective.
For example, studies have shown that therapists who are high in self-confidence and low in self-doubt are less effective than those with higher levels of self-doubt. In one study of 70 different therapists, the clients of therapists with higher levels of self-doubt had significantly better outcomes two years later. The reason is that self-confidence can result in therapists being more rigid and less flexible in their thinking, leaving too little room for alternatives or fresh ideas. In contrast, self-doubt can trigger a greater willingness to check out alternatives, be more open to new ideas and to experiment more. Self-doubt isn’t the whole story since therapists who are also higher in self compassion (being kind and understanding to themselves) as well as being higher in self-doubt are the most effective of all. It’s this combination that allows the most effective therapists to respect the complexity of their work and change course if needed.
Doubt can be the antidote to complacency and being too fixed in our ways – but only if it spurs us on to action. Self-doubt, when put to good use, can improve our preparation, lead us to ask more questions and motivate us to be more experimental with new ideas; all of which can throw up alternative ways to solve problems. However, if we don’t do anything with the doubt and simply hope it will go away or lift without any action then it can bind us to where we are and leave us inert. How we respond is the important thing. This should also help us feel less unnerved next time a colleague or an expert expresses some self-doubt. Rather than worry us, perhaps we should find it more reassuring than if they are over-confident and show no room for uncertainty. No doubt that’s good to hear!
REFERENCES:
Nissen-Lie, H., Rønnestad, M., Høglend, P., Havik, O., Solbakken, O., Stiles, T., & Monsen, J. (2015). Love Yourself as a Person, Doubt Yourself as a Therapist? Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy