How to Quiet Self-Doubt and Build a Business You Believe In
Can we have an honest talk?:
The loudest doubts about starting a business often come from the one person you can’t escape…
Yourself.
Sure, your colleagues, friends, and family might raise their eyebrows and question your choices. But let’s not kid ourselves: they’re often just echoing the questions that are already swirling in your mind.
Self-doubt is the wall standing between you and the life you want to build.
So let’s start there—because once you tackle your own doubts, the opinions of other people become a lot easier to handle.
Confronting Your Own Self-Doubt
If you’re doubting yourself, welcome to the club.
Self-doubt is a normal part of doing anything new, whether its the first time you intubate a patient or when trying to start your own business.
Why Self-Doubt Is Normal
Medicine gives us clear paths, algorithms, scores and protocols.
Entrepreneurship? Ehhh..not so much. When you’re used to systems and guidelines, the blank slate of running a business can feel overwhelming.
Self-doubt creeps in with questions like:
“Am I really cut out for this?”
“What if I fail?”
“Will I ever get this off the ground?”
Doubt doesn’t mean you’re not capable—it means you’re growing.
Every new challenge feels hard until you’ve conquered it.
How to Reframe Self-Doubt
When those questions pop up, remind yourself of this: you’ve already done hard things. You’ve completed medical school, residency, and countless shifts where people’s lives depended on your decisions.
If you can handle that, you can handle building a business.
When I started Sherwood Properties, my midterm rental business, I constantly thought, “Who am I to do this? Why would anyone want to work with me over anyone else? I’ve failed at so much…what if this doesn’t work either?”
Then I realized: I’m someone who has faced challenges-bombing the MCAT 3 times, almost failing out of my Caribbean medical school in my first semester, learned quickly-sought help from tutors and professors, and delivered results under pressure, graduating and matching into my #1 selection for residency.
Starting and growing Sherwood Properties from idea to 6 figures wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t harder than what I’d already survived.
How to Overcome Self-Doubt
Journal Your Fears: Write down your doubts, then challenge them. For example, if you think, “I don’t know enough about business,” remind yourself that you’ve learned complex systems before—and you can do it again.
Adopt a Growth Mindset: Focus on progress over perfection. Starting small is still starting.
Find a Mentor: Work with someone who’s been where you are. A good coach can give you the tools and confidence to move forward.
Start With Yourself
Your biggest hurdle is believing in yourself. Once you believe in your vision, handling external skepticism becomes a whole lot easier.
Your dreams are valid. Your skills are valuable. And the life you want is absolutely possible.
Ready to Silence the Doubts?
If you’re ready to build a business that aligns with your goals and makes clinical work optional—not obligatory—I can help. My From Side Hustla to CEO program will give you the tools, guidance, and support you need to create something amazing.
Click here to book your free Triage Call and take the first step toward building the life and business you deserve.