Doubt Is a Dream Killer: And I Know Because I’m Fighting It | Books By Tony Mudd

Doubt is a contagious disease.

It creeps in quietly, slowly infecting your thoughts, your hope, your confidence. It steals the joy from your passions and the clarity from your purpose. You might start with excitement, but doubt can drain it all before you ever get the chance to fully step into your moment.

I know people don’t usually hear me talk like this, but I want to be honest. For the last two weeks, I’ve struggled — with my confidence, with my motivation, and with my belief in myself. I’ve struggled with doubt.

And not just a passing moment of insecurity — I mean the kind of doubt that lingers. The kind that whispers to you when no one else is around. The kind that makes you question whether everything you’ve been building is really worth it.

The Doubt That Almost Took Me Out

This recent wave started with something that was supposed to be a celebration — my second book signing. The first one had gone well, and I felt ready to take it to another level. So, I booked a larger venue. I envisioned a packed room, engaging conversations, powerful moments, and people coming out to connect with the words I had poured my heart into.

But after booking the room, the whispers started:

“Can you really fill this space?”
“What if people don’t show up?”
“What if this one’s a flop?”

I checked my email — no responses. I sent texts — no replies.

I refreshed the reservation list — still low numbers.

And just like that, the fear settled in. The confidence I had started with began to crack. I began to second-guess everything. I started shrinking. I pulled back emotionally for about five days. I felt discouraged. I felt small. I felt… hopeless.

Doubt Dismantles from the Inside Out

What I’ve learned is that doubt doesn’t just challenge your ideas — it challenges you. It attacks your beliefs about yourself, your abilities, your worth, and even your purpose. It makes you forget what you’ve already accomplished. It makes you blind to your own strength. And worse, it convinces you that maybe this dream you’re chasing doesn’t matter after all.

Maybe you’re not the one to do it. Maybe this isn’t meant for you. And once that seed is planted, it spreads. You start hesitating. You stop showing up fully. You begin talking yourself out of the very thing you once felt called to do.

Doubt Is a Box with No Windows

The thing about doubt is that it disguises itself as protection. It tells you it’s just “being realistic.” It claims it’s looking out for you. It makes the case for why staying small is safer than risking it all. But here’s the truth: doubt confines you to a box. A small, dark space with no windows and no doors.

It doesn’t just protect you from failure — it also blocks you from possibility. It limits your growth. It traps your gifts. It puts a ceiling over your calling. And eventually, it chokes out your courage.

The Turning Point: I Stopped Running from It

For a long time, I thought the goal was to eliminate doubt. I thought if I just prayed harder, worked smarter, pushed more — it would go away. But I’ve come to realize something that changed everything: You don’t need to get rid of doubt. You just need to stop letting it drive.

So instead of pretending I was fine, I got honest. I told the people close to me what I was feeling. I shared my fears out loud. I even wrote this post to put it all on the table. And here’s what happened: doubt started to lose its power. It didn’t disappear completely, but it stopped being the loudest voice in the room. Because doubt thrives in silence. It grows in isolation. But once it’s exposed — once it’s dragged into the light — it starts to shrink.

The Power of People Who See You

Sometimes, in life, you need someone to remind you of why you started. Someone who will pray for you when things feel dark. Someone who will remind you that just because you’re tired doesn’t mean you’re finished. Someone who isn’t convinced this is the end — even if that’s what you believe in the moment.

I’m grateful for the people in my life who didn’t let me fall into the hole I was digging for myself. They reminded me that the people who don’t RSVP might still show up. That a room doesn’t define the value of the message. That no matter how the event turns out — the fact that I showed up matters. And they were right.

If You’re Struggling with Doubt, You’re Not Alone

I’m writing this today not because I have it all figured out — but because I’m in it. Because someone out there is reading this right now, and you’re in it too.

You’ve been second-guessing everything.
You’ve been shrinking back.
You’ve been waiting for a sign to tell you that it’s still worth it. Let this be that sign.

The fact that you’re struggling with doubt doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you care deeply about what you’re doing. It means your dream matters. And it means you’re human.

Doubt is real. It’s messy. It’s painful. And yes — it can be crippling. But it does not get the final say. Every time you speak through it, move through it, show up in spite of it — you reclaim your power. The goal isn’t to live without doubt. The goal is to live with it, but not be ruled by it.

To learn how to keep building even when your hands are shaking.

So if you’ve been in a battle with doubt, keep going. Keep showing up.
And remember: you’re not the only one fighting it — but you are strong enough to win.

If this resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear this message. And remember: be patient with the process. Great things take time. For more information, please feel free to visit my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERmN7l9BsRw

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 For more information please feel free to visit my podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@booksbytonymudd