How can I know if I am capable of being successful? How can I convince myself that I won’t fail? How can I motivate myself to keep going on the path to success? How can I inspire those who look up to me to remain positive about achieving success?
One of the most significant obstacles that can hold a person back in life is self-doubt. I see self-doubt as a silent but destructive force that can ruin someone both quickly and gradually. This is why it’s crucial to maintain a strong and unwavering belief in ourselves if we want to achieve anything meaningful in life.
My struggle with self-doubt began over ten years ago when I joined a church Brigade (I’m still a member to this day). As a new member, I was surrounded by many superior officers, and I had the privilege of playing the snare drum for two years and then the solo tenor drum for another two years. After four years of constant practice, I was selected to learn the brass instruments due to my proficiency in the drums.
When I learned that I would be starting lessons on the brass instruments, I was ecstatic because I had always wanted to learn a musical instrument but hadn’t had the opportunity. On the first day of brass rehearsal, I was assigned to join the novice trumpeters. Our church had three categories of brass players: trumpeters, saxophonists, and bass brass instrumentalists. During the rehearsal, everything felt new and unfamiliar, and at first, I had no idea what to do. As time passed, I gradually adapted, but it became evident that my friends, who started rehearsing with me, quickly progressed and were already playing the trumpet fairly well, while I struggled to play even a single note.
Gradually, I became the target of secret mockery from my friends and other members, which deeply affected me. I began to question whether I was capable of playing the trumpet and started to doubt my abilities. This was a challenging period; I often found myself crying at night because I expected more from myself.
Eventually, I decided to pick myself up. The first thought that came to my mind was, "Joshua, you need to believe in yourself." I also realized, "No one can do this except you." With this newfound determination, I committed to improving my trumpet skills. I started dedicating time every day, except Sundays, for consistent, personal practice. As I began these rehearsals, the fear that once plagued me when playing in public slowly disappeared.
Over time, I gained confidence in myself, and after a few months of dedicated practice, I could play the trumpet on my own. Today, I am a professional trumpeter and musician, and I have earned a substantial income through my performances. In fact, the trumpet has become my side hustle, and I have successfully taught at least eight people to play the trumpet excellently.
Imagine if I had allowed my self-doubt to defeat me during that challenging time. How would I have overcome it? How would I have improved? How would I have positively impacted others? How would I have become a role model for aspiring trumpeters?
As I mentioned earlier, self-doubt can destroy lives faster than death itself. The moment you begin to doubt your abilities is when you start to sink. However, the day you confront and overcome your self-doubt is the day you begin to succeed. After hearing my story, will you allow self-doubt to drown you, or will you rise to defeat your doubts so that you can turn your challenges into successes?
I welcome your suggestions and comments, and I look forward to reading your contributions in the comments section.