Why Doubt Shows Up Like a Broken Record When You Over-Work: What the Science Says
“What if I’m not good enough?”
“I need to prove myself… so I gotta keep polishing this presentation… even if I work past 9pm and first thing Saturday morning.”
High-achieving women in male-dominated workplaces tell me this is what the voice of doubt repeats like a broken record in their heads.
Can you relate?
If you, too, want to be less driven by doubt and more confident, here’s the thing to know.
Your brain is working just the way it should.
Here’s what the science says:
Doubt and rumination are linked with the Default Mode Network (DMN), which you can think of as the meaning-making machine inside that helps us maintain a sense of self and navigate the world.
The DMN is vital for survival. At its best, it supports individuation, discernment, and good judgment.
But when the amygdala, the fear brain, is on alert, the DMN goes into overdrive, churning out negative self-talk. Then the self-talk overrides what the body can literally see, hear, and sense.
Cue tunnel vision, higher cortisol, and blindness to the value of your contributions.
The way out of the cycle isn’t to beat yourself up. It’s to let the body complete the cycle it’s in, so the rest of your brilliant brain can come on board.
In coaching, I help my clients engage other sensory regions of the brain, which tends to quiet the DMN.
We do this through conversation, no brain surgery required.
The shift can happen so fast that my clients often laugh, bewildered and bemused by the change.
When doubt freezes you up or tells you to overwork, try this.
Take a ninety-second break to let your nervous system complete its cycle:
Shift your physiology to shift your brain state. It can be as small as softening and diffusing your visual focus and/or taking a quick walk around the block.
Lengthen your exhale. It helps bring your heart rate down and supports the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).
Hum a tune. Research shows humming may help stimulate the vagus nerve and calm your system. (For me lately, the soundtrack to The Sound of Music is my go-to tune.)
We don’t banish the voice of doubt, which, in all honesty, is impossible.
Plus, in the right context, it’s useful. It’s the voice that says “double-check that number” before you hit send, not the one that says you don’t belong in the room.
Speaking of good judgment, I trust yours will lead you to read about my coaching services and book a free consult with me at a time that works best for you by clicking here:
What you’ll get in the free consultation: In our hour together, I’ll help you see beyond your blind spots and the looping thought patterns of the DMN, so doubt stops running the show. You’ll leave with a custom coaching plan that puts your best thinking brain back in the driver’s seat, so you can make confident choices about your work, your worth, and when to stop polishing and call it done.
What I promise: You’ll experience a shift in how you see the situation or you don’t have to take one more step beyond the free consult. I’m confident you will. Only once you’ve seen your custom step-by-step plan will we talk about whether 1:1 executive coaching is the right investment for you.
Where it leads: You’ll be supported in making a decision (yes, no, or maybe) about working 1:1 with an expert coach who will help you marry brain and attention shifting techniques with proven, no-nonsense communication frameworks, so you can quiet the broken record, speak up, and lead with confidence.