How to Overcome Doubt & Achieve the Impossible – The Truth About Success
- maricarsvelasco
- Mar 4
- 7 min read
The road to success always starts the same way—with doubt.
"It’s too risky."
"The market is already saturated."
"Nobody does it that way."
Sounds familiar?

Every great achievement in history was once dismissed as impossible. And yet, time and time again, people prove otherwise.
But what separates those who succeed from those who don’t? It’s not luck. It’s not resources. It’s not even talent.
It’s persistence—the ability to push forward when everyone else expects you to quit.
The Fear That Stops Most People
Many dreams never turn into reality, not because they are unachievable, but because people give up before they even begin.
They wait for the "perfect time. "They wait for certainty. They wait for someone to tell them they can.
But success doesn’t come to those who wait—it comes to those who act despite uncertainty.
When you take that first step, you’re doing what most won’t. And that’s what sets achievers apart from dreamers.
Why I Almost Never Started Freelancing
I’ll be honest—when I first considered freelancing, I was skeptical.
I had heard all the doubts before:
"It’s unstable.""There are too many freelancers already.""How can you compete with experienced professionals?"
And deep down, I wondered if they were right.
But at the same time, I saw people making it work. I saw freelancers thriving, landing projects, and building a career on their terms.
So, I decided to take the chance and step into the world of virtual assistance.
At first, I was a complete novice. I had no idea how to navigate client expectations, optimize my workflow, or market myself effectively. But instead of letting inexperience hold me back, I focused on learning.
I studied the industry.
I refined my skills.
I made mistakes—but I learned from them.
Little by little, I became more efficient, more confident, and more valuable to my clients.
But the journey didn’t stop there.
Success in freelancing—or any career—isn’t about reaching a finish line. It’s about continuous improvement.
I committed to upskilling, staying adaptable, and refining my approach. Because the more I learned, the more I realized: growth never stops.
How to Turn Doubt Into Motivation
Doubt isn’t a sign that you should stop. It’s a sign that you’re stepping outside your comfort zone.
And that’s exactly where growth happens.
Here’s how to break through the fear and make things happen:
1. Shift Your Mindset From “What If I Fail?” to “What If I Succeed?”
Most people focus on what could go wrong.
What if I don’t get any clients?
What if I’m not good enough?
What if I fail and waste my time?
But what if you succeed instead?
What if I land my first client and start earning?
What if I develop skills that change my future?
What if I prove to myself that I can do it?
Your mindset shapes your reality. Choose to believe in possibilities, not limitations.
2. Start Before You Feel Ready
Nobody ever feels 100% prepared before starting something new.
If you wait until you’re completely confident, you’ll never start.
Take imperfect action. Learn as you go.
When I started freelancing, I wasn’t an expert. But by taking small steps every day, I got better.
And the truth is—you can’t learn everything before you start.
Some lessons only come from experience.
3. Expect Challenges (But Keep Going Anyway)
Every success story includes obstacles.
The first job rejection.
The client who ghosted.
The project that didn’t go as planned.
I faced all of these.
But instead of quitting, I analyzed what went wrong, improved, and tried again.
Mistakes don’t define you. Your response to them does.
4. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Perfectionism is a dream killer.
Many people delay taking action because they want everything to be flawless. But in reality, perfection doesn’t exist—only progress does.
Instead of aiming for perfection, aim for consistent improvement.
5. Learn to Adapt and Upskill
Freelancing, like any industry, evolves over time.
What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. That’s why I continue to learn, adapt, and grow.
I sharpened my communication skills.
I improved my time management.
I mastered new tools and techniques to enhance my productivity.
Every skill I gained made me more valuable to my clients and allowed me to scale my career.
The Pattern of Every Breakthrough
Look at any great entrepreneur, innovator, or industry leader. They all faced resistance before success.
Success stories aren’t built on comfort. They are forged in moments of doubt, rejection, and failure. Every major breakthrough was once ridiculed, dismissed, or deemed impossible.
Some of the most successful companies today were once told they would never work:
Apple was dismissed as a niche computer company. Many believed personal computers would never become mainstream.
Airbnb was told strangers would never rent homes online. Investors laughed at the idea of people opening their homes to travelers.
Netflix was doubted because "people love DVDs." When the company first introduced streaming, critics believed that DVD rentals would always dominate.
Yet, despite skepticism, they pushed forward.
Why Do People Doubt Innovators?
The truth is, people fear change. They are comfortable with what they know, and anything unfamiliar seems risky. When something disrupts the norm, the immediate reaction is often resistance.
Think about it—most people prefer certainty. They want guarantees, safety, and a clear path forward. But innovation doesn’t work that way. Innovation requires boldness.
Those who succeed don’t wait for permission. They don’t waste time convincing others. Instead, they prove their ideas through action, persistence, and belief in their vision.
And that’s exactly what sets successful people apart.
They are willing to fail forward.
They embrace discomfort, knowing it leads to growth.
They keep going when others quit.
Your journey is no different.
At some point, you will face criticism, doubt, and even your own moments of uncertainty. But what matters is how you respond.
You can let doubt hold you back—or you can use it as fuel to push forward.
Because the same people who doubt you now? They’ll later claim they always believed in you.
That’s just how success works.
Success Comes Down to These Three Things
Every success story follows a pattern.
If you take away nothing else from this, remember these three fundamental principles:
1. Don’t Wait for It to Be Easy
If you’re waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect opportunity, or the perfect circumstances, you’ll be waiting forever.
Success doesn’t happen in ideal conditions—it happens when people take action despite uncertainty.
Ask yourself:
Are you willing to embrace the discomfort of growth?
Can you push forward even when things get tough?
Are you willing to fail, learn, and try again?
Because that’s what it takes.
The people who succeed aren’t the ones with the smoothest path. They are the ones who keep moving forward, even when the path is rough.
Every challenge, every setback, and every moment of doubt is an opportunity to prove how badly you want it.
2. Don’t Seek Permission
Most people don’t realize this:
No one else gets to decide your potential.
Not your friends. Not your family. Not society.
The only person who determines your success is you.
Think about the greatest breakthroughs in history. The Wright brothers didn’t wait for approval before building the first airplane. Elon Musk didn’t ask permission before launching SpaceX. Oprah Winfrey didn’t wait for validation before building her empire.
They believed in themselves before anyone else did.
And that’s the key.
If you wait for someone to tell you that you’re capable, you’ll be waiting forever. Start now. Learn as you go. Prove it to yourself first.
You don’t need approval to take action. You just need the courage to start.
3. Don’t Quit Just Because Results Aren’t Instant
This is where most people fail.
They start strong, motivated and excited. But when they don’t see results immediately, they assume it’s not working.
Success takes time, consistency, and patience.
Ask any successful entrepreneur, artist, or athlete, and they’ll tell you the same thing:
The first attempts didn’t work.
The early days were filled with failures.
They questioned themselves, just like you do.
But they didn’t stop.
They adjusted, learned, and kept going—and eventually, that persistence paid off.
The people who succeed aren’t always the smartest or most talented. They are the ones who simply refuse to give up.
So, if you’re in the middle of your journey and you’re wondering if it’s worth it—keep going.
Because once you succeed, they’ll all say they knew you would.
What’s Your “Impossible” Goal?
Everyone has one.
That one thing they desperately want to achieve but seem to think is out of reach.
Maybe it’s:
✔️ Building a successful business.
✔️ Becoming financially independent.
✔️ Mastering a new skill.
✔️ Landing that dream job.
✔️ Creating a life of freedom and flexibility.
At some point, we all look at a goal and think, "That’s impossible for me."
But is it really?
Think about a time in your life when you believed something was unattainable—but then you achieved it.
Maybe you once thought you could never learn a new language, but now you speak it fluently.
Maybe you thought you’d never be able to run a mile, but now you do it with ease.
Maybe you believed you weren’t good enough to succeed in a career—until you proved otherwise.
If you’ve done it before, you can do it again.
And if you haven’t yet—it just means your moment hasn’t come yet.
What’s Holding You Back?
Take a moment to reflect:
What’s the goal you’ve been putting off because you’re waiting for the “right time”?
What’s the dream you’ve convinced yourself is too big, too far, or too difficult?
And more importantly—what if you’re wrong?
Because the only difference between those who achieve the impossible and those who don’t is the belief that it’s possible.
So, ask yourself:
🚀 What’s my next step?🚀 What action can I take today—no matter how small?🚀
What would happen if I just went for it?
Because the truth is, you’ll never know until you try.
And when you finally do?
You’ll look back and wonder why you ever doubted yourself in the first place.
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