Our Doubts are traitors – William Shakespeare

Our doubts are traitors: This is a beautiful quote by William Shakespeare elevating us to question our doubts. Our doubts make us question even the most certain things. But, do we stop to question these doubts? What would happen if we were unsure of our doubts? Will that help us create an objective assessment of our situation?

Our doubts are our traitors meaning

Our doubts are valid when it is backed by a rational logic. If however, we’re unable to explain the source of our doubt, we’ll need to reconsider. I’m not saying that this doubt based on gut feeling is wrong. But it is great to exercise caution before acting on this doubt straight away.

In other words, we need to take time to understand what these doubts mean, how they influence our life etc. The worst type of doubt or traitor is when it makes us question our worth. The self-doubt that harms confidence and questions our ability is a powerful enemy that can weaken us.

Meaning of our doubts

Or most times I realize I do it to avoid hurting myself in the far future. Or sometimes the reasoning is as simple as – I am really afraid!

• But does that really matter? What is important? – The fear or winning over it? Or the assumed thought of what may not happen or the result what we are after?!
• Most times I have procrastinated actions with a lot of rationalizations, a lot of reasoning and justifications, but looking back I realize none of them ever mattered.
• What is more important? Is it the result or just the plain ego of trying to gratify oneself and feel better by not trying.
• Is being afraid so important than actually losing out on something? Is fear more important or the sense of going after and doing something?

Shakespeare seems to have a right view – Our doubts, the questions, the hitches are really our traitors. They delude us, put us away from action as much as possible for whatever reasons we may offer to ourselves or the others. But do they really matter? The delusions or the illusions are never the answers, it all finally boils down to one good reality – Truth and Action!