As many college students are gearing up for the start of a new semester, there are many emotions in the air. Feelings of excitement, anxiety, eagerness, hesitation, new beginnings, and that all-too-often feeling of doubt. No one is spared of this feeling; everyone experiences it. But what makes one successful is how they handle doubt.

Clay Beasley, a graduate teaching assistant in the Agricultural and Human Sciences Dept. at NC State was the commencement speaker at his undergraduate departmental graduation this past spring. Beasley illustrated a perfect example of how beginning with the end in mind is key to staying the course when hard times, and doubt come your way.

"One experience that I believe we have all shared at some point during our careers was doubting ourselves. There was a point in your journey to where you are today, when a voice inside your head said, “No you can’t.” And, of course, that has happened to me a few times. And there may not be any rhyme or reason behind it. I don’t think it matters what we accomplish, how much money we make, or how many friends and loved ones we have; doubt will always be there.

But that doesn’t mean doubt has to rule our lives. We just have to know how to overcome it. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Doubt can only be removed by action.”

It’s relatively simple...Do the thing that you’ve been putting off. Ignore the voice that says “No”...How else are you going to know what you can or can’t do?

And what you may not have realized is you already have a lot of practice doing this. Look at where you’re sitting.

Like me, you may have doubted that you’d be accepted to NC State.

Like me, you may have doubted that you’d make it through college with pandemic rules.

Like me, you may have doubted that you’d pass that difficult class. For me, it was a Physics class.

And like me, you may have doubted that you’d make it through student teaching or a capstone AEE 490 project, or thesis, or dissertation, or any other high-stakes assessment.

But look at where we are today. We made it. Through action, we have all succeeded.

As students of NC State, we’ve all heard the motto, “Think and Do”. I believe the most important part of that phrase is Do. Thinking is important, there’s no argument there. But thought without action is procrastination and self-doubting.

So, wherever you go next, whether it is a new career or continuing your education here or anywhere else, don’t let doubt keep you from succeeding. Keep moving forward toward your goals. Always take action. “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you…yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.”
 

Whether you're a student just getting started with your college journey, or are finishing it up with this final semester, begin with the end in mind. Start this season of life off with believing that although you will face doubt--both from others and yourself--you have what it takes to succeed. And when doubt comes creeping in your mind, remind yourself that you've made it this far; you have what it takes to see it through. And don't forget to align your actions with your dreams and goals by thinking anddoing.