Facing Doubt As a Happy Achiever

Would you rather be happy or unhappy while achieving your goal? If you would rather be unhappy, this post is probably not for you.

What does it take to be a happy achiever? I think a happy achiever enjoys what she is doing to accomplish her goal. Her goal is something she treasures, something that represents her values. If your goal does not align with your values, it is hard to be happy about getting it. It is not comfortable to pretend to be someone else you are not.

What is your goal? What is something you want to accomplish but you are not there yet?

I am always happy to share my journey of how I achieve my goal of going home on time with all my clinical work done – while still working full-time. For years I was leaving the office past 7 pm, bringing work home, spending many weekends to finish my patient notes. Those were painful days for several reasons. Most of my time was dedicated to work – extra hours I did not expect to be spent like that. There was no time to spend with my family. There was no time to sneak in some fun. Those were the days I was trying to survive.

Achieving the goal of leaving work on time (with everything done) seemed impossible, yet I kept telling myself that somehow I could do it. When you start to believe in something, that does not mean you are in the 100% belief mode – unless you have already achieved your goal. There are times you will doubt. There is the uncertainty of whether you can actually achieve your goal. There is the uncertainty of what you are doing is the right way.

Any degree of doubt can show up at any time. Allow it. Acknowledge its existence. Having doubt does not mean it is a sign for you to stop. On the contrary, see doubt as an opportunity to grow. When you have 100% certainty, that is when you have accomplished what you set out to do. The challenge is over for that goal. To grow, find a new goal to achieve. Growth is in the process. Growth is part of the journey. Had I stopped trying to figure out how to cut back on my charting time because I was questioning my ability to do it, I would not be coaching other physicians or writing this blog.

The more we embrace doubt, the more comfortable we are to see the possibility beyond the doubt. If you wait until you are completely certain, you will never make the next move that will get you there.

Be curious. Being curious is one of my favorite attitudes toward life. When you are curious, it is easy to go with light-heartedness. You do not have to take things seriously all the time. If you are serious about achieving your goal, do it while you still have doubts. Do it messy. Do it imperfectly. Do your best. There is always something to learn from your experience and you can do better next time.

In other words, take action despite having doubts. The more action you take, the more you know yourself – know what your strengths and weaknesses are.

When you are in doubt, ask for help. Ask someone who has achieved your intended goal to guide you. I am so glad I asked my coach to help me. I tried many different things. I attempted different strategies. I just had no clue how to be more efficient – until someone guided me. Although having a coach decreased my level of doubt, it was still there.

Yes, you will always have some degree of doubt in your journey of achieving your goal. That is normal. Acknowledge its existence. Let it be there. Do not let doubt stop you from taking action. Doubt is an indication that growth is coming, if you embrace it. You do not have to “prepare” to be perfect. You do not have to wait until you are completely certain to work toward your goal. Be curious, light-hearted and learn along the way. Learn about yourself, about your strengths and weaknesses. Always be true to your values. Ask for help especially when you are stuck. Doubt is uncomfortable and is always going to be there – unless you choose not to grow – so why not embrace it?