Everyone struggles with feelings of insecurity and self-doubt from time to time, even those who might otherwise project the most assured and confident persona. A little self-doubt is not only normal, it's sometimes desirable. According to the psychotherapist, Adam Phillips, self-doubt and anxiety serve an important function: "If worrying can persecute us, it can also work for us, as self-preparation. No stage fright, no performance."

In many ways, self-criticism is essential for our sense of self. In his essay 'Against Self-Criticism' (2015), he suggests that "[n]othing makes us more critical -- more suspicious or appalled or even mildly amused -- than the suggestion that we should drop all this relentless criticism, that we should be less impressed by it and start really loving ourselves." And yet, continuing to believe negative statements such as "I'm just not good enough" only turns our self-doubts into self-fulfilling prophecies; we trap ourselves in a repetitive cycle of desire and frustration, and this paralysis ends up weathering our self-esteem down until it's all but vanished.

While it is impossible to banish self-doubt entirely, it is possible to get it under control. Using self-knowledge and understanding, you can turn self-doubt into motivation to succeed. All that's required is to take a few steps towards positive change:

1. Raise your self-awareness

If you can recognize the situations that trigger self-doubt, you can actively do something about them. Ask yourself what you can do to become better and as almost anything can be learned, seek training or support to help you succeed.

2. Practice self-compassion

We all struggle to temper our self-criticism with self-compassion, but being kind to yourself can help you develop emotional resilience. recognize when you are being self-critical, replace the negativity with positivity and remember that imperfection is a part of the shared human experience.

3. Stop seeking validation

Seeking advice from others can be helpful. However, if you have developed the habit of continuously needing others' opinions before making a decision, you are weakening your faith in yourself. Begin to trust what feels right for you.

For more advice on how to diminish self-doubt and remove its hold over life, make sure to read the rest of the infographic below. Overcoming self-doubt requires taking affirmative action while being attentive to the inner critic. Choosing to take action in spite of pervasive doubt is the first step towards success.

8 Ways to Conquer Self-Doubt

"The enemy is our chattering brain, which if we give it so much as a nanosecond, will start producing excuses, alibis, transparent self-justifications and a million reasons why we can't/shouldn't/won't do what we know we need to do." - Steven Pressfield

Understanding Self-Doubt

Self-doubt is the feeling of uncertainty regarding one or more aspects of the self, such as capability or likability. When self-doubt encourages introspection, it can be highly beneficial; however, it can also negatively impact your performance.

• Self-doubt is not always connected to low self-esteem.
• Your genetic makeup is as responsible as your life experiences for self-doubt.
• By the time you reach adulthood, you've heard the word "no" 50,000 times, compared to just 7,000 repetitions of "yes."

According to British psychotherapist Adam Phillips, self-criticsm is essential for our sense of self. He suggests that nothing makes us more critical or appalled than the idea we should drop all our persistent criticism and start loving ourselves.

And yet, continuing to believe negative statements such as "I'm just not good enough" only turns our self-doubts into self-fulfilling prophecies.

Conquering Self Doubt

While it's impossible to banish self doubt entirely, there are several techniques that can help keep it under control.

1. Consider the Worst-Case Scenario

Self-doubt is fueled by catastrophic - and often unrealistic - prediction. Even if things do go terribly, they are unlikely to be life altering. Keeping things in perspective is crucial.

2. Raise Self-Awareness

If you can recognize situations that trigger self-doubt, you can actively do something about them. Ask yourself what you can do to become better, and seek training or support to help you succeed.

3. Practice Self-Compassion

Being kind to yourself can help you develop emotional resilience. recognize when you are being self-critical, replace the negativity with positivity, and remember that imperfection is a part of the shared human experience.

4. Stop Seeking Validation

Seeking advice from others can be helpful. However, if you continuously need others' opinions before making a decision, you are weakening your faith in yourself. Begin to trust what feels right for you.

5. Keep a Diary

Writing down feelings of self-doubt, followed by any evidence you have to support them, can help you see things more realistically. Although not a cure, examining the facts will help reduce your insecurities enough to enable you to take action.

6. Forget What Others Think

It often feels safer to do nothing and avoid judgment, than to do something and risk criticism or failure. Worrying about other people's opinions of you will only hold you back from doing something positive for yourself.

7. Follow Your Instinct

Spending too much time deliberating whether you should choose option A or B is a guaranteed way to nurture self-doubt. Often your first reaction will be the best, since it characteristically comes from a place of intuition rather than from ego.

8. Focus on the Present

Whatever the challenge, telling yourself you can't will only distract you from your performance. By reminding yourself that all you can do is your best in the present moment, you will be able to put all of your energy into the task at hand.

Overcoming self-doubt requires taking affirmative action while being attentive to the inner critic.

Choosing to take action in spite of pervasive doubt is the first step towards success.