Managing Imposter Syndrome: Not a cure, but a journey

I have read a lot about imposter syndrome and even in the best sources the miss something huge – imposter syndrome doesn’t go away; you just get better at managing it.

Hear me out - the more I talk to people, the more I realize that everyone – and I mean everyone – deals with imposter syndrome in some fashion and at some point. I think the idea that gets bandied about in discussions about imposter syndrome is that you can ‘cure’ it and it won’t ever bother you again.

And that, I just don’t buy.

Imposter syndrome is different for different people. Sometimes it is driven by perfectionist thinking (that’s me!) or it can come from feeling like you need to be an expert to do something, or that if a skill doesn’t come naturally for you, then you shouldn’t even try.

As we take on new challenges, different things will trigger our own version of imposter syndrome. In response, our goal should not be to strive for 100% confidence and to avoid all negative emotions – ‘cuz that’s a recipe for failure. Our goal is to recognize what’s happening and to manage through those feelings so they don’t drive your decisions or get in the way of your greatness.

Something that has really helped me is the idea that I can be scared and do it anyway.

• My imposter syndrome sounds like a) I can’t do that because I won’t do it perfectly, or b) I don’t have the experience to prove that I deserve to be here.

• When that happens, I remind myself that that negative thought isn’t true and recognise the emotion, usually fear, that is driving those thoughts.

• I acknowledge the fear so it lessens its grip on my brain, and I move forward from there. By turning down the noise, then I can really consider the opportunity before me and make a decision.

• Ultimately, I know that it is okay to have some fear/apprehension/nerves about a thing and that these feelings don’t make it a bad idea or the wrong thing for me to do. I don’t let my self-doubt make decisions for me.

Confidence comes from courage. By having the courage to show up, do the work and prove to yourself you can, you build confidence.

Helping my clients live and work courageously is one of my favourite parts of coaching. If this is something you’d like to explore, grab time for a 30-minute Chemistry Chat.