3 Ways to Beat Imposter Syndrome
The Making of 365 Ways to Be More Stoic
I feel like my life has been a 37-year-long episode of Mr. Bean. I’m about as graceful as a Joe Cocker performance when I start talking one-on-one to professionals. Crippled by my anxieties, still haunted by codependent tendencies, I bumble, mumble, and stumble my way through. The funny thing about imposter syndrome — the sham shakes, the hoaxer hokey-pokey — is that when socializing with other professionals we often think we’re the only people in the room with two left-feet.
I was relieved this past weekend when someone I hold in high regard mentioned that they were worried about how they were perceived during their presentation. There was no reason for them to be self-conscious, because they were a real pro, but it did humanize them for me. Maybe you’re a real pro too, Fraudster Freddy, and that’s why I wanted to write about ways to defeat this imposter impression posing as a rational feeling.
In the self-help game, there are philosophers, academics, historians, therapists, businesspeople, some celebrities, and, of course, trailblazing authors like Ryan Holiday. Then there’s me: a wise-cracking novice brought up in the indie comic-book industry who has a weakness for Chester’s Flaming Hot Fries and sh*tty relationships. I may not be the sage you’re looking for, but I…
