How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Achieve Your Goals
The start of a new school year is a time of excitement and anticipation for many students. There are new classes to take, new friends to make, and new experiences to be had. Nevertheless, for some students, the excitement of starting a new school year can also be accompanied by anxiety and self-doubt.
Whether a senior headed to college, a freshman starting their first day of high school, or a student trying out for the school play, many students feel a sense of uncertainty and fear as they step into the unknown. They may worry about whether they will be able to keep up with the workload, make friends, or fit in. They may also have doubts about their own abilities and whether they are good enough.
While parents know our students are good enough, our kids often don’t want to hear it from us. So, I thought I would put together a few tips you can use for your students to help them overcome their anxiety and self-doubt:
Acknowledge your self-doubt.
The first step to overcoming self-doubt is to acknowledge that you have it. It’s okay to feel unsure of yourself sometimes. Everyone does. The important thing is not to let self-doubt control you.
Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
When you start to have negative thoughts about yourself, challenge them. Ask yourself if they are really true. Are you really as bad as you think you are? Chances are, you’re not.
Focus On Your Strengths
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. When you’re feeling self-doubt, focus on your strengths. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Remind yourself of your accomplishments.
Set Realistic Goals
Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals. Start with small, achievable goals and gradually work your way up to bigger ones. This will help you build confidence and self-esteem.
Take Action
One of the best ways to overcome self-doubt is to take action. Don’t wait for the perfect moment to start working towards your goals. Just start. The more you do, the more confident you will become.
In our practice, our teachers are trained at guiding students through every stage of the college application process AND we coach students along the way to acknowledge their feelings and give them tools to harness their anxiety into actional steps!
Tell Us Your Story and we can help start asking better questions for you and your student, to get out of the unknown in the college application process.
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