Ambiguity

I’m not sure I can get my thoughts straight on this topic because there’s something ambiguous about ‘doubt.’ On one hand, it can be a good thing:

You doubt whether something is true or not, so you explore the idea and find out it is (or it isn’t).

On the other hand,

you might doubt whether the plan you’re working on will actually succeed, and that can stifle you.

Doubts about what?

As mentioned above, doubt can hinder progress, but it can also fuel it. It hinders you, for example, when you’re uncertain about taking action, even if you’re sure it will lead to a positive outcome. So there’s certainty here, but there’s also doubt!

Get it straight!

(talking to myself)

Often, the ambiguity in doubt lies in what it’s actually about. You see, you need to differentiate:

  • Am I doubting my business plan, or am I doubting whether I can make it a reality?
  • Am I doubting whether my client will accept this proposal, or am I questioning its content?

In the first example, the business plan may be the greatest thing since sliced bread—but is it you? In the second, the proposal might be the Holy Grail of proposals, yet you might sense that your client has doubts about something else.

Now we’re getting somewhere

So now we know that if we want to ‚remove all doubt,‘ we need to ensure we’re addressing the right doubt. In the first example above, that means:

Don’t change the business plan! Be curious about what’s holding you back and work on that (or find a suitable partner).

And in the second:

Please don’t change the Holy Grail! Investigate your hunch! (or find another client).

Simplify!

I wrote a piece about how simplifying things can make everything better, it might also remove doubts.

And,

Sometimes it’s best to ignore your doubts and just do what you need to do. It might even turn out to be fun!

That’s all,

RvdL