Working for yourself can be quite a lonely business. It can cause self doubt and negativity to creep in, leaving you stuck and unable to move forward. To successfully move your business forward, you need to have faith in yourself and your abilities… and doubt can be the one major thing that stops you taking action and making your dreams reality.

If you want to move yourself and/or your business forward, banishing doubt should be your number one priority. Follow these 5 steps and change your doubts and uncertainties into action.

#1: Acknowledge and Identify the Doubt

In order to banish doubt, the first step you need to take is to identify those negative and doubt-filled thoughts you’re having. Ignoring them isn’t going to work – you have to acknowledge them. Get them out of your head and onto paper – write them down. This process will ensure you not only write the conscious ones down, but also those that are hiding in the background.

#2: Get Logical

Look through your list of negativity and doubt and ask yourself the following question for each one: “Is this truly what I believe?” “What evidence do I have to confirm that this is true?” This step will get you past the irrational or unfounded fear and onto the actual logical facts.

#3: Declare It

This is a two-step process – firstly, for all those irrational and unfounded fears that have no proof, I invite you to write down a counteracting statement and the evidence needed to back this new statement up.

For example, let’s say you’ve written down “I’m never going to sell 50 programs.” Your counteracting statement would be “I am going to easily sell 50 programs” and the evidence would be “I’ve previously sold x, y and z and I believe I can sell these programs too.”

The second step is for those statements with evidence attached. I invite you now to write a counteracting statement for each of them, but also complete the following statement: “The old me

[negative statement] however I’m a new person now. I choose to believe that I can now [positive counteracting statement].”

#4: Visualise Your Success

Now relax and see yourself easily achieving each of your statements. Visualise being successful and make it colourful – imagine how it will feel, wrap yourself in the associated emotions tied to that feeling – and focus on the energy around them.

#5: Start Now!

Now is the perfect time to complete one small action step towards making this your new reality. Whether you need to write down the smaller steps needed or if you need to pick up the phone and call someone, take action to move you forward.

Have you previously uncovered a fear or doubt that stopped you from moving forward? What action steps did you take to change your thoughts or expel those doubts? Do you currently have doubts holding you back from success? What one step will you take today to overcome them? Use the comment box below to share your thoughts or declare your action step.