IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Imposter syndrome sucks. It creeps up when you least expect and doesn’t come quietly either. Without hesitation it shouts from the mountaintop everything it can to get you wondering “Do I belong here?” “Am I good enough?” “Is this even possible?”

Since starting my career with an unconventional background, sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing. So, I’ve heard the lizard’s shouts quite often. I’ve also had tons of conversations with colleagues — at and above my level — about how they overcome it. No matter who it is, I get the same answer every time:

Even they don’t know what they’re doing half the time, so they fake it until they make it. And that showed me that the imposter’s tales might convince us to try harder, to do better, to prove ourselves, but we don’t have to bow down to that. The truth is we don’t have to listen, and its presence always has 2 purposes.

When the imposter shows up we’re on the verge of both breakthrough and rest; whether it’s creatively, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. So, its first purpose is an obvious one. It’s here to get us off track and second guessing to the point that we become idle and afraid. The second is a little harder to spot because it requires a different perspective. It’s presence can also be an opportunity to actualise what we think is impossible (make it a reality) and find confidence in our place in the world (we are enough). The latter is the one to keep in mind.

Because we’re always maturing, growing, and changing, the voice won’t permanently disappear every time we silence it. But it might get quieter. And when challenges come, and we get to a place of ‘I don’t know,’ we’ll be able to take a breath, choose rest, and make a step in faith.