I tried to fight doubt with knowledge. Surely if I knew more, doubt would go away?
It didn’t. Doubt stayed.
Clearly more knowledge was needed. More know how, more facts. I read books by experts and people I admired. People who must surely be free of doubt.
But doubt stayed.
I chose a major that everyone agreed was “a good area to get into.” After I graduated, and my degree was in hand, I did another program and got a certificate. More paper to hold the doubt of others at bay.
Because I knew deep down that I couldn’t fight their doubt of me and my doubt of myself at the same time.
Still doubt stayed.