The Courage to Show Up, Even When Doubt Holds You Back

There are these moments in your professional life that feel heavier than most: when you doubt your capabilities or realize something didn’t go as smoothly as planned. It could be a project you feel you didn’t deliver on, a deadline you missed, an achievement you failed to reach, or a presentation on a subject you feel unqualified to handle. The thought of facing the people involved feels overwhelming, and your first instinct is to retreat. You think that if you avoid it, the discomfort will fade.

But here’s what I’ve learned: growth doesn’t happen in hiding.

I’ve been there, paralyzed by self-doubt, the fear of judgment, thinking that showing up after a failure (or what feels like a failure, even if it’s not actually a failure) would only highlight my incapabilities. I’ve been overwhelmed by the voice inside my head telling me I wasn’t good enough.

But the truth is, showing up is never about proving perfection, it’s about proving commitment. It’s about saying, “I’m here. I tried. And even though it didn’t go as I hoped, I’m willing to face the outcome.”

Sometimes, showing up is hard. It takes courage to walk into a room when you feel exposed, knowing that your work or effort didn’t meet expectations. The self-doubt can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to want to hide from it all. But now I realize that the simple act of being there speaks volumes about your character. It tells the world (and yourself) that you’re not defined by one moment or one mistake.

Fear of failure is often worse than the reality of it. People are far more understanding than we expect. And even if they’re not, there’s a quiet strength in knowing you showed up anyway. You will begin to understand that discomfort is temporary, but the lessons and resilience you gain last far longer.

There’s a shift that happens when you stop seeing failure as something to avoid and start seeing it as part of the process. Failure is no longer a wall blocking your way, it becomes a stepping stone. Every failure contains something to learn, something to carry forward into the next challenge.

So, if you’re now standing at that crossroads, wondering whether to show up, know this: showing up is a victory in itself. It’s not about the outcome of the project, the grade, or the presentation. It’s about proving to yourself that you can handle the hard moments and that you don’t need to take a step back when things feel overwhelming.

Walk into that meeting. Face the conversation. Show up for yourself. Because in the end, success begins at the moment you decide to show up.

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A Personal Note

This reflection comes from my own recent struggles with self-doubt in my professional life, which have felt overwhelming because of the many challenges I’ve faced lately. The pressure has left me feeling stressed, uncertain, and sad. This self-doubt have haunted me many times, especially since I work in a field that is completely unrelated to my background. I feel afraid, but deep down, I know it would be good for my growth and career.

I write this to share my own journey, hoping that it might encourage you too in your own struggles. By making the decision to face the discomfort and show up anyway, I’ve learned that even in moments of doubt, growth is possible. While it’s still hard, I know this will help me grow in the long run, both personally and professionally. As the saying goes, “Success is 90% about showing up.”

Kallista Nadia Adrianne