We live in a society that focuses on achievements and success in life. Though the definition of success varies according to the culture one is exposed to, the pressure that comes with it can be quite common. In the pursuit of achieving a vision of success that our society has ingrained in us, many people experience insecurity and doubts about their abilities and potential.
Many people take these insecurities and doubts as problems to be overcome or perhaps even signs of weakness. A quick online search can reveal thousands of articles addressing this issue and suggesting the ideas of ‘self confidence’ or ‘believing in yourself’. Though these concepts offer solace, do they really work in the long term? Will they really have beneficial effects on people’s thoughts and beliefs? Is self doubt really harmful, something we need to avoid? Or can it be used to enhance one’s performance, curiosity and resilience?
When asked about self doubt and how one can extinguish it, Sadhguru sheds light on the subject: “It’s good to doubt yourself. I know everybody is telling you- believe in yourself, believe in yourself. I would say please doubt yourself. If something goes wrong you always see, maybe it’s you, first. This is what I’ve been teaching you all the time. Whatever is going right or wrong in your life, first thing is to see maybe it’s me who caused this. Look at it carefully. If it’s not you then we look at others. Instead of doubting others around you, it’s better to doubt yourself. Maybe you didn’t do it well. ‘Oh but uh this is not allowing me’, no, you will walk sensibly. The so-called confident idiots are stepping on everybody’s everything and walking. Little doubt will bring little sense into you. You’ll walk a little more gently upon this planet.”
“Self belief or any kind of belief, will bring you confidence without clarity, which is a destructive thing. The level of damage that’s happened to this planet and to life around us, everything is because- confidence without clarity. If you had little doubt about what you’re doing, you would think 10 times before you do something, isn’t it? And that would be a sensible world. I want everybody to have some self-doubt. Please don’t think you’re always perfect and super human or something. Super human beings must go. We need only human beings on this planet. They don’t even know how to wear their underwear. One wears an underwear over the, whatever the attire. Another wears a belt over the underwear. Another puts it over his head. And for this they’re super. Now, we want normal, sensible human beings. We don’t want super human beings, because they always did stupid things.”
“People who think they’re super, they always did stupid, idiotic, life damaging things. We want sensible, normal, joyful human beings. We can have a beautiful life here and normal human beings should always doubt everything that they’re doing because you don’t have a complete vision of the existence. You are only seeing existence in little pieces, always. With little pieces, if you have too much confidence, you are a dangerous creature. With little pieces we know how to do little things. We don’t know how to conduct the whole existence, all right. It’s best to be in self-doubt. It’s a great virtue. Don’t think it’s a problem. Don’t look at the super confident idiots who are trampling on this planet and think you want to be like them. It’s all right to doubt. Yes, doubt is good. Doubt means you’re searching for truth. Do not transform your doubt into suspicion. Suspicion is a sickness. Something must be wrong- this is suspicion. Something may be wrong- this is okay. It’s okay. It keeps you alert, aware, conscious. Always on your toes, not on your ass. Yes, it’s a good way to be.”
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