Impostor syndrome

You have talent, you are capable, you belong……..

Maya Angelou once said “I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out”

So! for those of you who don’t know who this is, she was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist, someone who had received many awards and 50 honorary degrees

She also had feelings of imposter syndrome, so there, you’re not alone if you’ve ever felt that your ideas and skills aren’t worthy of others attention, others feel it too

People feeling this are highly skilled or accomplished, so there, there you go, self esteem 1 imposterism 0

So, you are skilled, you are accomplished, you could just be comparing yourself to people with more experience or length of time in the field

I don’t believe in the fake it till you make it phrase as it diminishes the effort and seriousness in which you place your product/service

I teach my son to always ask questions, what’s the worst the answer could be?  

“No” well you’re no further forwards but you’ve not moved backwards, have you

So we seek the answers elsewhere, we keep asking the questions to obtain the answers to move forwards, to grow, to gain the confidence, to feel part of this elite group that we’re convinced we can’t be part of

How did the people you feel are successful, accomplished get there? 

They asked questions, stupid or not, they asked them and received the answers (knowledge/information), remember the saying, there’s no such thing as a stupid question.  They weren’t afraid to ask, they gained the confidence, they gained skills, the intelligence by asking the question to receive the answer, in order to move forwards

So reframe it in the way a perceived non imposter would

Focus on the positives, focus on the people telling you how much they like your work, customers see value in what you’re doing if not they wouldn’t be your customer, you’ve put yourself out there, you’re moving in the right direction already whilst you seek the answers to the questions that you have

Be patient, keep asking the questions.

Facing the challenges at a rate that works for you, develop the confidence/competences this stabilises the environment around you so things are less threatening/fearful

Curiosity leads to experience, experience leads to growth.