Self-Doubt Leads to Indecision, Fear, and ultimately failure
Self-doubt, indecision, and fear are the three elements that cause Internal Focus and destroy your chances for winning a conflict. These same three elements will cause you to fail in life as well. When you allow yourself to focus on these, your training begins to slide, your motivation decreases, and eventually you will give up.
These feelings feed on each other. Self-doubt causes indecision. Indecision causes failed techniques, which in turn produces a fear your techniques will not work. Fear then creates more self-doubt, which drives more indecision causing more failure and fear. It snowballs until you don’t believe you can win a confrontation. This type of cycle can happen in relationships, at work, school, your dreams, goals, etc.
Self-doubt is one of the hardest to feeling to get control and it is the key to controlling indecision and fear. I don’t really like the saying “Believe in yourself” because it over used and sometimes used in place of believing in God. That being said, you do have to trust you. You must believe you can accomplish the task or win the fight. Having confidence in your abilities the first step to success. If you don’t think you can win, then why start?
Removing self-doubt requires several different things. One, it requires training. Consistent training only improves you and removes doubt about your abilities. The martial arts style you practice can impact the results of a fight, but more than anything else it is your trust in your abilities and your determination. Practice so you can trust yourself to win. Secondly, sometimes you must ignore the naysayers. Others will try to tear you down and make you doubt yourself. Either because they are jealous, egotistical, hateful, or simple ignorant. Walk above them so they do not demotivate you on your journey to your goal. Third, set small goals to reach your large goals, and celebrate when you reach the small goals. Pt yourself on the back and cheer yourself on to the larger goal. This build self-confidence and proves to you and others you can do it. These three items will remove your self-doubt and allow you to succeed in life and in a physical confrontation.
Fear and indecision are the results of self-doubt
Fear and indecision are the results of self-doubt. As you begin to remove the doubt from your life and your training your indecisiveness will diminish, and your fear of failing will fall away. Once you act decisively without fear, you will be able to fully take advantage of Initial Speed, Independent Motion, and much more when fighting. If you do not control indecision and fear, you will hesitate on fully committing to your techniques & combinations while fighting. You will telegraph your movements due to indecision and your speed of your techniques will slow down due to being stiff and rigid.
If you live and fight from the position of the Triangle Of Failure others will know it too without you even telling them. Like animals, which sense fear, humans are no different. The vibrations of fear pass from one mind to another just as quickly & surely as a human voice. Your opponent or the predator in the alley will sense your fear & use it to his advantage. The Triangle Of Failure needs to be mastered before you will succeed and win.
Tips To Overcome
In Fights
Know your opponent’s mind. What would he do? What does he want?
Watch and analyze your opponent’s tactics to understand his strategy. This includes understanding the mind of predators who wish to hurt you as wall as the mind of competition at work or school.
Focus on your training, your steps to improvement, and remind yourself of your strengths every day.
Determine a plan to reach your goals. Understand your strengths and weaknesses in your training and abilities. Define a “personal fighting style“ which complements your strengths.
At night before going to sleep rehearse your tactical plan in your mind. Think it through. See yourself winning. Mentally prepare for the fight, so you are ready for the counter attacks.
Have a flexible plan ready in your mind. Always be ready to adapt and overcome.
In Life
Know your mind. What do you want? What can you do?
Watch and analyze your those around you. Learn from their successes and failures.
Focus on steps to improvement, increase your knowledge, and remind yourself of your strengths every day.
Determine a plan to reach your goals. Understand your strengths and weaknesses in your knowledge and abilities. Define a path to success which complements your strengths.
At night before going to sleep rehearse your plan in your mind. Identify the tasks to complete for tomorrow. Think it through. See yourself winning. Mentally prepare for the day to come, so you can mentally and emotionally meet your challenges.
Have a flexible plan ready in your mind. Always be ready to adapt and overcome.
Know and Trust Yourself
The reality is this, if you intend to win, you must train consistently, and know your strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t know yourself, you cannot overcome the Triangle Of Failure and you fail 100% of the time. You must learn who you are and be confident in what you can do. Likewise, you must know as much as possible about your opponent, his styles and strategy. When you have accomplished this your ability to win in a fight and in life will no longer be in doubt.
"A lot of times people look at the negative side of what they feel they can't do. I always look on the positive side of what I can do." - CHUCK NORRIS