On Dealing with Impostor Syndrome
Thank it, and meet it with compassion.
The idea of “impostor syndrome” is something I talk about a lot with my clients. It’s this notion that, no matter what we say or what we do, we’ll soon be called out as a fraud. No matter how good we are, we’re not good enough, and it’s only a matter of time before we’re found out.
It’s a common phenomenon, especially in leaders who are perfectionists or high-achievers, with some estimates suggesting that around 70% of these leaders will experience impostor syndrome at some point. The issue, though, is that in most cases it’s not real.
In reality, nobody cares about what we think as much as we do. In reality, we’re “making it up” as much as anyone else. Our own self-limiting beliefs and voices of insecurity are bigger and louder than the truth.
I struggled and still struggle with this idea. As a coach, I find myself sometimes wondering if I’m really being helpful or if people are wondering why they’re even paying me. I’m conscious of my own impostor, what I call the “voice of the saboteur.”
The good news is that this voice is not nearly as loud as it used to be. I don’t feel like an impostor nearly as much as I used to. And there was one thing I did to change this dynamic in a really meaningful way.
