Dealing With People That Doubt Your Professional Abilities

This one hits home a bit, because it’s the people that doubt you at work that really have no business doing so in the first place. In reality, they doubt themselves and what they are doing is a direct reflection on themselves. The doubters can be a coworker, a manager in a different department, upper management, and even your boss.

When people hear the word “doubt,” they might think of someone who is unsure of themselves. Doubt can be viewed in a negative light, as a lack of trust or belief in someone or something.

But doubt can also be seen as a positive force, as it can lead to questioning and critical thinking. Doubt can be a tool for exploring new ideas and paths, and for determining what is true and what is not.

So, what is doubt? And why do people doubt others?

Doubt and Why do People Doubt Others?

Doubt is simply a lack of certainty. It is the feeling that we cannot be sure about something, either because we do not have enough information or because we disagree with others about what the facts are. Doubt can arise in any situation, but it often comes up when we are trying to make a decision or when we are considering something new.

People doubt others for a variety of reasons.

Some people doubt because they have been hurt in the past and are afraid to be hurt again. Some people doubt because they are not trusting by nature. Some people doubt because they do not have all of the information and are afraid to make a decision without all of the information. And, finally, some people doubt because they want to control others and having doubts allows them to do that.

People doubt other people’s professional abilities all the time, even though they have a been in their field for years. When it’s a situation like this arises, it’s something other than just doubt in my opinion. People like this get on my shit list real quick and it’s hard to come off the list for good reason.

I find that people like this are judgmental without a valid reason and it’s just a reflection on themselves and their capabilities. They are second-guessing themselves and showing it to you. These are the bullies that made it to the corporate world, and I can’t stand them.

Here’s an article about Resisting Negativity and Toxicity

Tips For Dealing With People Who Doubt Your Ability To Succeed

We all doubt ourselves at some point in our lives. It’s what we do with that doubt that determines our success. For those of us who face people doubting our ability to succeed, it can be tough to keep going.

For many people, the fear of being doubted by others can be paralyzing and lead to a lack of self-confidence. In some cases, this doubt can even prevent someone from pursuing their dreams or goals. If you find yourself struggling with this issue, here are a few tips on how to deal with people that doubt your work capabilities:

1. Acknowledge your feelings.

It’s natural to feel upset, frustrated, annoyed, and even angry when someone doubts your abilities. Recognizing these emotions is the first step in dealing with them. Recognize that these emotions are normal and part of the human experience. It’s also important to realize that you can’t control how others react to your work, but you can control how you feel about it.

2. Engage in productive self-talk.

Self-talk is the conversation we have with ourselves internally. It can be positive or negative, constructive or destructive. Most people have a mix of all four types of self-talk, but they tend to have a dominant type. When you have doubters, the key for you is to have a healthy and productive self-talk and shift their negative words to positive thoughts so it does not affect you.

2. Don’t take it personally.

Just because someone doesn’t believe in your work doesn’t mean they don’t believe in you as a person. Remember that their opinion is just that- an opinion. And their opinion has no power over you. It doesn’t mean that you are a bad person or not good enough.

3. Stay confident and have a positive attitude with doubters.

If they can see you taking action, they will be more likely to change their opinion. If they see you falter, they will be more likely to doubt your abilities.

4. Focus on the job at hand.

Don’t let a doubter bring you down. Don’t let the doubters get in your way. When you become unfocused, you are proving the doubters that they were right.

5. Believe in yourself. No one can tell you that you can’t do something if you don’t believe it yourself. if you put your mind to something, you can achieve it!

6. Use their doubt as motivation to achieve your goals.

Prove them wrong! Knowing that they are wrong will give you motivation to continue on your path. This isn’t always the healthiest way to have motivation, but it works.

7. Support System

Surround yourself with positive people who will support you and encourage you along the way. You may want to start off by asking someone if there was something that you did. This may help you find an answer that it’s just a them situation.

8. Have a clear plan and goal set for yourself

Do this so you always have something to work towards. Let this be driving force.

9. Be persistent, always try, and never give up. Remember that everyone experiences failure at some point in their lives, but it’s only by continuing to try that we can hope to achieve success. So don’t be discouraged by setbacks – instead, use them as motivation to keep going and never give up on your dreams.

10. Always have a backup plan

So you can be prepared in case things don’t go as planned. Have other ways to get things accomplished and be successful

11. Destress for Yourself

Make sure you have time to relax, so you can get some sleep and rest your mind without any stressing. If you are on a constant high alert, you may find that no matter what you are on edge and not open to receive criticism in a healthy manner.

12. Don’t let negative people influence you too much.

If you allow them to get under your skin and begin to self-doubt, then you are allowing them to win.

Conclusion

Live life to the fullest and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something because they didn’t try it themselves.

Never let anyone bring you down, because they are only trying to bring you down to make them better.

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Goal Setting Guide
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Productivity Strategies for Busy Professionals