One of the biggest challenges freelancers face is overcoming self-doubt. It’s certainly an issue I struggled with for years.
From wondering whether I’d got what it takes, to questioning whether I was charging enough, those negative thoughts would pop into my head, usually without warning.
The trouble is that when you work for yourself, particularly freelancing, the right mindset is so important.
After all, you (or I) are the key commodity that makes or breaks our businesses, so it pays to look after ourselves both physically, and mentally.
If you’re new to the world of dental content writing, you might think you don’t have enough experience or you don’t have a lot to offer potential clients.
You might even wonder if anyone will ever hire you! Trust me, I’ve been there, but what you must remember is, everyone experiences doubts like this and it’s how you manage them that makes a difference.
In this post, I’m going to give you 5 key strategies I use to deal with negative thoughts so you can use them to unleash your true potential.
Let’s get started.
Tip #1 Overcoming self-doubt – Accept it
Believe it or not, one of the key strategies to overcoming self-doubt is accepting that it happens.
Self-doubt and imposter syndrome go hand in hand and if you read my post on imposter syndrome a few weeks back, you’ll know that even the most successful entrepreneurs are plagued by it. Yet, they still go on to do great things.
Why?
Because they accept it.
They accept that running their own business isn’t always a walk in the park and challenges are a regular occurrence. While they may face a different set of challenges than you or I, the point is that they succeed despite self-doubt, rather than fail because of it.
In other words, they don’t let feelings of self-doubt affect the bigger picture.
So, when those pesky thoughts start to creep into your head, have a word with yourself. Examine what’s giving you those feelings of doubt and consider how far you’ve come.
Maybe you’ve recently taken your first steps into freelance writing and have everything in place to make it a reality – That’s great! Many people have ideas of wanting to run their own business but haven’t gotten as far as you. That should be commended.
Maybe you’ve landed your first client but are having doubts about whether you’re good enough. Well, the client obviously thinks you’re a good match, otherwise they wouldn’t have hired you.
The bottom line is that overcoming self-doubt is as much about acceptance of negative thoughts and not letting them affect you, as it is about finding ways to silence them.
Tip #2 – Give yourself some self-love
I saw a quote recently which said;
“If a boss treated you as poorly as you treated yourself, you’d probably file a complaint”
Let’s face it, lavishing self-praise isn’t something we’re all comfortable with but when it comes to overcoming self-doubt, a little self-love offers the perfect anecdote.
Here’s an interesting fact:
Research suggests that humans are hard-wired to focus on the negative, meaning it’s very easy for our brains to criticise everything we do.
Our propensity to self-criticise and self-reflect on the negative, protects us from making the same mistakes in the future. As hunter-gatherers, this is what kept us alive.
So when those seeds of doubt come creeping in (and they will), consider changing the narrative.
Instead, turn the tables and look at yourself in a positive light. This could be something as simple as:
- Documenting your achievements and taking a few moments to reflect on those.
- Rewarding yourself when you’ve completed a project or gotten great feedback, or
- Replacing criticism with acceptance and appreciation.
These are tactics that we can all use to administer a little self-love and park any notions of self-doubt before they become debilitating.
Tip #3 - Overcoming self-doubt - Take some ‘me’ time
Another step to overcoming self-doubt as a freelance dental writer is to give yourself some ‘me’ time.
Often work and life get in the way and we don’t always look after ourselves as well as we should. So, when niggling doubts come creeping in, step away from your desk for a few hours and go and do something for yourself.
In my case, that might be something as simple as taking myself off for a coffee in the local park where I can people-watch or going for a long walk with my dog.
Whatever you choose, spend time doing something you enjoy and reflect on what makes you, you!
Trust me, it works!
Tip #4 – Avoid comparison
In the freelancing world, it’s impossible to compare yourself with another freelancer because we all run our businesses differently. And yet, we still do it.
I’ve gotten some of my most valuable ideas from other people yet the problem starts when making comparisons or judging yourself against them.
For instance, I follow a well-known freelance writer who has carved a very successful career writing copy and articles for some of the most influential companies in the world.
Does she do what I do? No.
Does she even write in my industry or field? No!
Yet sometimes, I still find myself trying to ‘stack up’.
Not good, right?
When it happens, I quickly bring myself down to earth by reminding myself that her idea of success, might not be the same as mine. We’re on different paths with different journeys. and instead, to keep on doing what I do and serving my clients well.
The bottom line – Comparison is a breeding ground for self-doubt and inadequacy and when we compare ourselves to others, we tend to lose sight of our unique qualities and strengths, so avoid doing it if you want to overcome self-doubt.
Tip #5 – Understanding self-doubt
Hopefully, this post goes some way to helping you understand why self-doubt occurs and as the saying goes, “The best way to deal with something, is to learn as much as you can about it.”
The good news is that there are some great blogs available on the subject, so it isn’t hard to brush up on the topic.
However, do try arming yourself with as much information as you can about things that worry you.
For instance, I used to second guess myself when pricing up dental writing projects, particularly those that were outside of the normal scope.
I suspect it’s something that most freelancers go through but nevertheless, the process of quoting used to fill me with self-doubt, particularly once I’d submitted my fee.
So, I’ve tried to educate myself about how to price up different project types and I recently wrote a post on how much to charge as a freelance dental writer.
Funnily enough, this was as much to reassure me as anyone else. But at least I now have a better idea of the intricacies of pricing and the doubts don’t come flooding in.
So there you have it. Five top tips to overcoming self-doubt as a dental content writer.
If you believe in yourself, ignore the self-doubt and take small steps every day, then it’s possible to build a successful and sustainable dental writing business irrespective of the negative voices within.
If you haven’t already, subscribe to my blog and download my free guide to becoming a well-paid dental writer. These will give you all the tools you need to start a successful freelance writing business online.
Thanks for reading and, here’s to your success!