Self Doubt and Action by Shade Zahrai

That self-doubt held me back. I was not ready

At the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, I attended an inspiring session by Shadé Zahrai, a leadership and mindset expert.

Her insights made me reflect on my journey and how I finally broke free from self-doubt to share, connect, and give back

One of the first things Shade emphasized was the comparison trap—something we all fall into.

We scroll through LinkedIn and see people achieving milestones, landing dream jobs, and building successful businesses, and we question ourselves: ‘Am I good enough?’

For the longest time, I struggled with this. Although I wanted to share my lessons and experiences, I always thought: What if people don't find it valuable?

Then, I realized that comparison steals progress. Instead of looking at others as competition, I started looking at them as inspiration.

I focused on what I could control—my growth, story, and way of helping people. And that’s when things started to shift.

The second game-changer? Taking action before feeling ready.

Shade said something powerful: ‘Don’t wait until you’re 100% ready. Progress beats perfection.’

This hit home for me.

For months, I hesitated to post on LinkedIn. I always thought there was someone better, more qualified to do it. But the truth is, no one ever feels fully ready.

So, I stopped overthinking and just started. One post. One event. One job opportunity shared. And from there, momentum took over.

I gained greater confidence as a result of attending networking events.

Through networking events and knowledge-sharing spaces, I connected with amazing people.

Shade Zahrai also said we stop looking for solutions when we focus on what we can’t control.

At one point, I thought, Why isn’t anyone guiding me? Why is the job search in Dubai so tough?

Changing my mindset from waiting for help to becoming the help changed everything.

I realized I wasn’t helping people with job vacancies or sharing knowledge. I was passing down the same guidance that was once given to me.

I wasn’t just posting on LinkedIn anymore—I was creating impact. I wasn’t just organizing events—I was building a community.

Self-doubt never disappears. But you can stop letting it control you.

Take action, even if it’s small. Start before you feel ready. And instead of waiting for guidance, be the one who passes it forward.

If you’ve been hesitating to put yourself out there, whether it’s applying for jobs, posting online, or starting something new, this is your sign to start.

Because someone out there needs exactly what you have to offer.

"You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great" – Zig Ziglar