Power Tool: Doubt vs. Belief

A Coaching Power Tool Created by Sabine Schoellhorn
(Transformational Coach, JAPAN)

Introduction

I created the power tool Doubt vs. Belief because there were many times I felt uncertain about my next steps. I doubted that I cannot follow through with my actions and started to procrastinate. My journey of becoming a coach truly helped me to be more self-aware of my values and beliefs. This awareness empowered me to not dwell on procrastination. Instead, I actively take actions supporting my passion to become a full-time certified coach.

Explanation

Have you ever doubted something or yourself?

Doubt is defined as

if you have doubts or doubts about something, you feel uncertain about it and do not know whether it is true or possible. If you say you do not doubt it, you mean that you are certain it is true. (Collins Dictionary)

I truly believe we all have been there, this place of uncertainty about our next steps and decisions. I call it the Unknown. It takes a lot of courage to take the next step if the outcome is unclear. It may be risky; the result is either success or failure. Taking that courage or let doubt overcome you is a big part of our decision-making process. If doubt is bigger than courage we most likely don’t take any actions and we procrastinate. It all depends on the situation, doubt can also mean you follow your gut feeling and it’s good to not take actions at all. When we dared to take actions and the results weren’t as expected we may drown ourselves in pity. The unknown feels like standing at crossroads not sure whether to leap to the right or the left. When you doubt yourself, you may just follow the path that you already know. You remain in your comfort zone. If a doubt comes into play there is no stretch to grow. You may even withhold yourself from experiences because you are afraid of what could happen. There will be lots of uncomfortable feelings and thinking like I don’t know what to do next.

What happens if there is no doubt?

Visualize yourself and imagine anything is possible and there is no doubt at all. You will follow your beliefs and everything works out the way you imagine it to be. How would that feeling be like? That leads me to explore belief,

Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true, or is good. (Collins Dictionary)

When you believe you truly know and you are certain about what is good for you. This will be the fuel to take action leading you closer to achieve your set goal. You are the creator having the remote control of life in your hand and deciding about how and where you focus on. You are fully aware during this process and you empower yourself to follow through with your decisions. There is no room for any doubt at all and you will get out of your comfort zone to grow and develop yourself. How can we shift our clients to have that way of thinking? How do we flip the client’s mind towards anything impossible mode with no doubts?

Coaching Application

My client’s name is Sarah. She is in a working situation where she doesn’t feel any challenge and just works for the pay-check every month. Although not happy in her current work situation Sarah seriously doubts her working skills and procrastinates to take action in finding herself a new job that gives her joy and passion. The doubts arise from her belief that her skills are too broad and she has no particular master skill. Sarah just hung onto her current job and started to feel depressed. In Sarah’s belief work is something that is fun and not just a paycheck. Sarah became aware of her current situation and is taking action now. I used the following method below to create awareness and shift her perspective.

The Energizing Growth Cycle developed by Sabine: From Doubt to Belief

Awareness

Sarah was aware of her current working situation’s frustration and wanted to change. In the past, she had negative experiences at other workplaces. These experiences led her to have no confidence in her working skills. The only thing she could think of is to leave the company. With no next opportunity lined up and the job market gave during the Corona Pandemic, she knew it would be risky for her to just quit. Sarah decided to take no actions and bear with the miserable situation. She knew that something had to happen to make her feel better about her work situation.

What do you value at work?
What is your dream job like?
What would it look like if there is no weakness but only strengths?
How can you control that doubtful voice in your head?
If you don’t change this current job what is at stake in the future for you?

Acceptance

Having so many doubts and no confidence in taking any steps Sarah’s emotions were low. She didn’t have hopes about her current situation as she felt stuck in the working place. I worked on discovering her beliefs about what a perfect working place looks like and what her ideal job is. Visualizing what would be possible she slowly opened up and made peace

with her current situation. Sarah is aware that her work situation isn’t permanent. With that new awareness and acceptance, her feelings turned into a more positive outlook about the next possible career steps.

How would you feel if you know this situation isn’t permanent?
What can support you to feel acceptance about your current situation?
When you approach your current situation without doubt about your abilities, what difference would that make?
How would you feel going to work knowing you are confident and capable of anything that occurs during your workday?
What is the current job situation teaches you about yourself?

Control

During further coaching sessions, Sarah understood that the current working situation is just a temporary solution. She felt much more in control of her life. I could see the big shift from doubting her whole self to gain acceptance and being open to explore her passions. She remembered the Simon Sinek Ted talk about how great leaders inspire actions. This reminded her to believe in herself “._[1]If you talk about what you believe, you will attract those who believe what you believe”.Sarah decided to create a list of all her skills and passions. This activity gave her a lot of clarity about herself and confidence.

What do you believe people need to know about yourself?
What is that you want others to believe in you?
How would your life change if you would change the way of doubtful thinking into anything is a possible way of thinking?
What’s the emotional vs. financial cost regarding your current job?
What would your life and work situation look like if you stand in your power?

Creation

The list of passions enabled Sarah to think about her next steps. Her way of thinking has changed from being passive and procrastinating into a more energetic being pursuing her dreams. It was this small shift knowing that she has control of her life. She is in charge of her decisions and truly believes in herself again showing the world what she is capable of. She contacted many headhunters and now actively searches for her next career opportunity.

What will you do if you doubt your future steps, how will you address it?
How does belief impact you in taking the next steps towards your dream job?
How can your list support you to continue believing and following up with your actions?
What do you believe that the world needs to know about your being and skills?
At what point are you at “What you believe, you will attract those who believe what you believe? “ (Youtube Talk Simon Sinek, see footnote 1 below)

Reflections

This below graphic summarizes visually my explanation about the energizing growth cycle. This graphic illustrates the steps of my client during her journey. In this journey, she is finding her passion and taking action towards searching for her next fulfilling job. The client shifted from doubting her abilities to truly believing she can attract her dream job.

It depends on which of the below-shown stages the client is in and how soon they realize that they have active control over their lives. Along the way, the client feels empowers to believe that anything is possible and no doubt can ever stop them.

During the coaching process with Sarah noticed the importance of digging deeper and understanding what the clients believe and values are. How is the client viewing the world and what is stopping him/her from arriving at his/her goals and outcomes. As coaches, once we understand the “Who” of the client without feeling tempted to go into solution mode, we can utilize the client’s awareness and power to shift their perspectives from doubt into belief. This makes the client feel empowered and confident. The client knows they can tackle anything in their lives. They have the tools available to shift their perspective, take remote control of life, and create their lives in a way that’s best suitable for them.