If you’re one of those people who knows what you’re doing at all times, feel free to stop reading. You probably have a meeting, a project, or a team that needs your unfailingly perfect insight.
Use The Muse to find a job at a company with a culture you love. Select the career path that aligns with you:
On second thought, perhaps you should stick around. Because nobody—seriously, nobody—knows what they’re doing 100% of the time.
In fact, “I have no idea what I’m doing” syndrome is something almost all of us can relate to. The deep fear that you really should have things sorted by now, and wouldn’t it great if a real grown-up came along to tell you what you should be doing, is often inescapable.
Unfortunately, even if it’s sporadic, it leads to the kind of confidence-stripping self-doubt that can really have a negative impact on your professional life. Since I’d guess you don’t want to be second-guessing everything you do in your work, this is the perfect time to learn how to deal with it. Ahead, three ways to combat the derailing thoughts.
We’ve all been there – staring blankly at our computer screen overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities and thinking “I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing right now.” That feeling of being lost, unsure, and out of your depth is more common than you might think. Even the most successful among us have moments where we feel like imposters, waiting to be “found out.”
The truth is, uncertainty and not knowing what you’re doing 100% of the time is simply part of life It’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll always have things figured out And in fact, admitting that you don’t have all the answers can be freeing – it creates space for learning, creativity, and personal growth.
In this article, I want to walk through some of the top reasons why you might sometimes feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. I’ll also give some practical tips on how to overcome self-doubt and regain confidence when uncertainty strikes.
Why We Sometimes Feel Lost and Unsure
There are a few key reasons why that “I have no idea what I’m doing” feeling creeps up:
1. Imposter Syndrome
Even if you’ve achieved outward success, imposter syndrome can leave you feeling like a fraud – as if you don’t deserve your accomplishments and are just waiting to be “found out.” This persistent self-doubt takes a real toll, leading to anxiety, depression, burnout, and lack of career progression.
Imposter syndrome is extremely common, affecting around 70% of people at some point. So if you’ve felt this way, know that you’re not alone. Comparing your skills and achievements to others will only make these feelings worse. The truth is, no one has everything figured out. We’re all winging it sometimes!
2. Lack of Clear Goals
When you don’t have a strong sense of purpose or defined goals, it’s easy to just drift through life feeling directionless. Without aims to work towards, you lack a compass guiding you, so uncertainty creeps in. Figuring out your passions, values, and aspirations can bring much-needed clarity.
3. Fear of Failure
When we worry about failing or making mistakes, it stifles action. We get stuck overanalyzing and second-guessing ourselves. This paralysis leads to frustration and a sense of having no direction. Learning to take risks and handle failure as part of the process can help get you unstuck.
4. Comparing Yourself to Others
Seeing friends, colleagues, and peers who seem to “have it all together” can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy. But remember, no one’s life is perfect! Comparing your behind-the-scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel will only steal your confidence and joy.
5. Discomfort with Change
If you’ve been in a rut or stuck in the same routine for a while, change can feel daunting and uncertain. But avoiding new challenges means you never grow. Embracing change and giving yourself grace to learn will build your capabilities over time.
Helpful Ways to Regain Confidence and Clarity
When you’re plagued with self-doubt, these strategies can help you get back on track:
-
Stop seeking perfection. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and be a work-in-progress. Aim for progress over perfection.
-
Focus on the next right step. Even if the big picture is unclear, just focus on the very next logical step, and keep taking small actions. Momentum builds confidence.
-
Learn as you go. Uncertainty is part of growth. Trust yourself to figure things out, ask for help, and learn new skills as challenges arise.
-
Replace “what ifs” with “what nows”. Don’t waste energy on hypotheticals – take it one step at a time and deal with challenges as they actually happen.
-
List your wins. Reflect on accomplishments, feedback showing your strengths, and examples of overcoming past uncertainty. This builds self-assurance.
-
Visualize success. Envision yourself competently handling new challenges. This primes your mindset for confidence and achievement.
-
Find support. Peers, mentors, coaches, friends and family can all help bolster you emotionally when self-doubt is running high.
-
Be your own cheerleader. Notice negative self-talk and consciously replace it with positive affirmations and encouragement.
-
Take action. Forward momentum chases away self-doubt, so avoid overthinking by just diving in. Adjust course as needed.
-
Learn from mistakes. Reframe failures and setbacks as valuable lessons and growth opportunities, not reasons to give up.
Key Takeaways: Embracing the Unknown
-
Feeling lost or unsure of yourself sometimes is totally normal, even for the most accomplished people.
-
Comparing yourself to others and seeking perfection will only fuel uncertainty. Focus on your own growth and be compassionate with yourself.
-
Not having a clear life purpose or goals leaves you drifting. But the simple act of moving forward builds momentum and confidence.
-
Imposter syndrome and fear of failure cause us to freeze. But progress requires embracing action over endless planning.
-
Change and uncertainty are critical for growth. With an openness to learn, you can build skills even when the path ahead seems murky.
Rather than wasting energy hiding it, be honest when you feel that “I have no idea what I’m doing!” feeling creeping up. Admitting you don’t have all the answers makes space for creativity, fresh thinking, and finding solutions. Trust that you have the ability to figure it out, and give yourself permission to learn as you go. With this growth mindset, those moments of uncertainty won’t have power over you – they’ll become exciting opportunities to build your capabilities.
Stop Thinking Everyone Else Has it Nailed
Sitting at work and feeling like everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing can be rough. There’s the person who always seems to run great meetings, the colleague who’s always ready to make a decision and rally people around it, and the co-worker who always seems to find a way through a thorny situation and land on a great end result.
Yeah, sometimes it feels like everyone is better at what they do than you are. But, guess what? They’re not.
Thinking that all of your colleagues have the whole professional game figured out isnt an easy feeling to contend with. Comparing yourself to others and worrying that you dont measure up only stands to hold you back at work and take a hit at your confidence.
So try this: Next time you notice yourself wondering why everyone else seems to be better than you, just ask yourself, “How is this serving me?” Then look for a positive thought, one that puts your worrisome mind at ease. That new way of thinking could be “Everyone is doing the best with what they have” or something along the lines of “I don’t need to compare myself to others any more.” Look for something that puts the breaks on the downward negative spiral.
Stop Believing You Have to Have Everything Figured Out
When I start writing an article, I literally have no clue what direction I’m going in. I begin with a blank page, the title looming large at the top of all that white space. And then I just write. I don’t know where it’s going to end up. I don’t always know what my point will be. Heck, I don’t even know if, by the time I finish, it’s going to be anything more than a heap of incoherent ramblings.
But you know what? Sentences form. Distinctions take shape. Ideas flow. I may not hit the mark every single time, but I trust myself with that blank page, and I allow myself to see where it takes me, and it inevitably takes me somewhere. And here’s the thing—it’s not true that knowing what you’re doing all the time is better than not knowing.
Doing things you haven’t done before—obtaining more responsibility, leading a team, starting a new job in a new place, switching careers, starting a company or even just a website, taking on a complex and scary new project—requires a certain amount of uncertainty, otherwise you’re just rinsing and repeating until your brain atrophies in your cubicle.
Being willing to figure things out as you go and to face new obstacles with curiosity is how you learn and grow. That’s how you get to create real value.
So, the next time you get concerned that you’re screwed if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, ask yourself, “If I didn’t need to have all the answers, what would I do next?” And then act accordingly.
I have no idea what I’m doing
What if I have no idea what I’m doing?
Whenever you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing, it’s important to focus on yourself and take conscious steps to improve your mindset and your life. Giving yourself extra attention that you normally wouldn’t is an excellent way of figuring out what you really want and understanding why your life is the way it is.
What if I don’t know what I’m doing?
If you still feel yourself struggling with not knowing what you’re doing, consider bringing it up to your supervisor or a mentor. Odds are, they have your best interests in mind and want to ensure that you’re equipped with everything you need to succeed.
What if I don’t know what to do?
Meet a friend for lunch. Allow yourself to have fun today without guilt or stress. Or maybe you decide to allow life to unfold as it may without having to choose or decide. Sometimes things just work out the way they are supposed to. If you do nothing for a while, some of the things you don’t know what to do about will resolve without your
What matters if you don’t know what you’re doing?
What matters is giving it your best shot, learning from what happens, and then making your next choice based upon new knowledge and awareness. Doing your best is what counts. If you can do that, you’ll stop fretting about not knowing what you’re doing.
