The Upside of Uncertainty

Chapter 8

Aplomb (Doubting Self-Doubt)

When facing uncertainty, self-doubt almost always shows up. Even innovators, entrepreneurs, and pathbreakers doubt themselves, and not just once but over and over. At the core of this recurring fear is the nagging worry that you may not be smart (or clever, or daring) enough, your ideas may not be good enough, and that trying anyway might reveal this fact for all to see. If you buy into that fear, it is almost certain that you won’t try anything uncertain. Because self-doubt is such a natural part of facing uncertainty, feeling it is a sign not that you should stop, but rather that you’re in territory requiring triage—digging deeper to that place inside yourself that believes your offering is worthwhile. ...