Bruce Springsteen’s album, Tunnel of Love, was released in 1987 and explores the themes of love, relationships, and the internal demons that lead to doubt and uncertainty. The track “Brilliant Disguise” offers thought-provoking lyrics throughout, with the closing lyrics being “God have mercy on the man who doubts what he’s sure of.”
In moderation, doubt can be beneficial and often necessary to maximize performance. It allows us to question our thoughts and opinions, seek out alternative options, and gain perspective from another point of view. All of this can lead to personal growth and development. However, excessive doubt can be debilitating, leading to a lack of confidence, poor self-esteem, and procrastination that prevents someone from taking any action.
On the other hand, the absence of doubt can be just as dangerous. This often occurs when someone believes they are smarter or more capable than they truly are. This is referred to as the Dunning-Kruger Effect. It can present itself in business when an expert in one field believes their expertise will transfer to another field. This often leads to stress and frustration in the workplace.
We have all seen excessive doubt and the Dunning-Kruger Effect in the workforce (or personal life if you spend any time on social media😊) but I want to get back to Bruce’s character: “the man who doubts what he’s sure of.” In my experience, this is much more common than most realize.
The successful executive that is suddenly gun-shy. Sometimes they feel there is too much to lose. Paralysis by analysis kicks in and the project comes to a halt. In my experiences with clients, this doubt creeps into some of the smartest and most successful people I work with. Often, there is no good reason why this doubt presents itself. The understanding of the situation is solid, the planning is strong, and the resources are in place for execution. Has this happened to you or someone you work with?
Here are three (3) steps I like to take with my clients when they feel stuck and begin to doubt what they are sure of: 1) Fear Setting: Tim Ferris has popularized this concept where the worst-case scenario is imagined. By understanding the worst-case scenario, we can prepare and take action to prevent the worst from happening. This simple exercise usually works with high-performing individuals because intuitively they have already taken this step and practically, they would change course before the worst-case scenario happens.
2) External Feedback: Ask a trusted co-worker, advisor, or associate for feedback. It’s important that this person feels comfortable giving constructive feedback and it helps if the person is not overly familiar with the project. This degree of separation is important because it can highlight blind spots from those working closely on a project. If a project can be explained to and understood by an outsider, it’s likely that the project is ready to be implemented.
3) Focus on the Controllables: Identify the specific factors that are fully in your control. Do you have the ability and desire to fully commit to these actions? If the answer is yes, it’s time to execute. We must take full control of our thoughts and actions and trust our ability to adjust if outside factors impact the initial plan.
The time spent on these three steps is invaluable to the client. Either the doubt is mitigated, and we can proceed, or the exercise uncovered a plan that needs more work before it can be implemented.
The key takeaway is to acknowledge when doubt is affecting your decision-making and take action to address those feelings. As the Stoic philosopher Seneca said, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.”
About the Video
The video for “Brilliant Disguise” is, well, brilliant. A single shot, black-and-white video of Bruce singing and playing the guitar as he sits uncomfortably on a chair. As the camera continues to get closer, the viewer can see the increasing doubt and uncertainty on Bruce’s face. Other strong lyrics that portray a conflicted man:
Cause I damn sure can’t trust myself So when you look at me You better look hard and look twice Is that me, baby Or just a brilliant disguise?
I’ll dive into the concept of a brilliant disguise in a future post.
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