Why do we have so much doubt when we start something new?

Starting something new is incredibly exciting, isn’t it? When you create a new iPhone app, for example, the first thing you see is a white screen. I’ve always loved that—a literal blank canvas on which to start to build on.

It can be a bit daunting, though—unlimited possibilities also mean unlimited ways to go. It can be difficult to figure out what first step to take.

You wonder about the implications each decision being made today will have on decisions down the line (tech debt is fun, right?). If you’re like me, then you’re likely filled with doubt that this is a good idea at all. Or even if you think it’s a good idea, your inner voice challenges the very notion of this succeeding: there’s no way this will work.

What a crazy idea.

Why are you pursuing this?

You did WHAT?

You left your job to work on this? Gooooood luck.

I’ve always believed that a bit of doubt is healthy when you do something daring. For me, the doubt means that you’re challenging yourself.

You’re stepping out of your comfort zone. You’re doing something that your mind/body normally are like: oh no. Definitely not.

It’s these spaces—in the discomfort—that you grow.

It’s this fact that helps me start to make my first step. The doubt is good. The doubt means I’m learning.

That I’m challenging myself. That no matter the result of this as a business or product, the “me result” is that I have learned a lot.

Once I take my first step, the second is a little bit easier.

The third, even easier.

By the fourth, my pace picks up a bit.

You see where this goes—as the white screen stops being so white, and the product forms, and the vision in your mind begins to be something more tangible, more real—that doubt becomes a distant memory.

Whatever you’re up to in life—whatever challenge you choose to put in front of you—embrace the doubt.

Let it drive you. You’ll surprise yourself with what you can do!

If you found this helpful, you’ll love the Super Awesome You podcast. We explore simple yet powerful ways to shift your mindset and create more joy in your everyday life. Listen now and start seeing the awesome around you!