Ep 90: Taking Control of Your Insecurities
In my experience as a clinician, insecurities, doubt, and lack of self-confidence are the #1 issues that come up for trainers. There are so many things that go on in our lives that naturally create insecurity. There are drawbacks. There are failures. There are days when you feel challenged beyond what you can handle. I don’t know that you ever truly eliminate insecurity--but you can learn to control it.
Controlling your insecurities is a matter of being able to shift your mindset to where you are always thinking about, “what if I can” instead of “what if I can’t.”
Preparation is my go-to defense against insecurity. One of the things to understand about preparation is that there are no shortcuts. You have to go through the steps.
Preparation is about the little repetitions that establish muscle memory. Muscle memory is what kicks in during times of competition or adrenaline. And, knowing that your muscle memory is solid is where your confidence comes from.
It’s just like how I prepare for my day. Each morning, I do a short workout of pushups and situps, I write down 10 things I’m grateful for, and I read a passage of scripture or listen to a motivational podcast. While these aren’t groundbreaking steps, they are the steps I need to feel equipped to take on my day. They are the small things that make me feel prepared to tackle my insecurities and show up as the best version of myself.
There will be times when your insecurities get the best of you. I, as much as anyone, am guilty of being my own worst critic. There are times when I beat myself up thinking, “I should have done _____ better,” or, “I should have been more prepared for _____.” But, at the end of the day, dwelling on that insecurity gets me nowhere. I have to pick myself up, learn from it, and move on. That’s part of learning how to control your insecurities.
If you don’t have times when you start questioning your abilities, I believe you’re not getting out of your comfort zone often enough. When you step out of your comfort zone, you learn not to take anything for granted.
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