The truth about imposter syndrome; you're not alone
If there is anything all creators, entrepreneurs and business owners have in common, that is imposter syndrome. Even if it hits you occasionally. We’re not for one second going to say it’s ‘wrong’ to have it. But if we become overwhelmed by it, it is something that can be very real and soul destroying amongst those of us who are trying to change or make an impact in the world. How do you know if you have it, and what is imposter syndrome? Have you ever had any of the following thoughts?:
I’m not good enough ….
They’ll think I'm a fraud, or I feel like a fraud ….
I don’t know enough yet ….
I can’t offer this service yet …
They’ll figure out that I don't know my stuff …
I can’t publish my video (or blog, or podcast etc) yet as it’s not good enough ….
Before you read the rest of this blog post, you can also have a watch of our YouTube Short! ‘The truth about imposter syndrome; you’re not alone’
What is imposter syndrome?
It’s the constant feeling of incompetence and inadequacy even when we’re seeing success in our businesses and lives.
There could be many things that lead to feelings of imposter syndrome. These could be due to:
The idea of perfectionism and that you can’t have flaws
Setting unrealistic goals for yourself (do you get feelings of anxiety?)
The need to overwork and always requiring validation from others
The need to become an ‘expert’ in your field
The truth about imposter syndrome
You came here to hear the truth, right? Well here it is. We’re all just a bunch of ‘imposters’. If we all go through this feeling in some form, and at some point, then we’re all kind of just ‘impostering’ it until we ‘make it’.
Whether people let you know it or not, everyone is going through some kind of doubt or lack of confidence. It’s perfectly human. It’s how our minds work.
It’s when things start to become very overwhelming, or when these feelings are actually counterproductive (e.g. stopping you from creating content, or scaling your business in some way), that you should really do something about it.
Another key thing to remember is that in order to be great at what we do, and to become an expert in your industry, we must always be learning new things to progress. Business is just like life, we’re always progressing further and further to improve ourselves. Instead of thinking of getting to some ‘end goal’ or beating ourselves up for not reaching some crazy standard, why not think about continuously improving specific skills or tasks? Nothing is stagnant or still; life and everything in it, is ever changing. So we must also take this attitude.
For example, if you’re wanting to get into photography or significantly improve your skills in this. Instead of trying all types of photography in one go, how about focusing down on a specific type first, and really giving that a go until you’re feeling a lot more confident to then move on to other areas of photography. You’ll not only pick up fundamental camera knowledge, but may even develop a really cool niche for yourself!
What proactive steps can we take?
Finding success in everything you do
Begin to look for the wins in everything you do and create. It’s easy to focus on the negative, such as ‘why didn’t this happen?’ or, ‘why is it taking so long?’. But instead, look at the success or benefits (no matter how small). The latter takes more effort, but it is far more rewarding!
This doesn’t go to say you can’t look for improvement for next time!
2. Be comfortable in your own skin
As a society we need to learn how to validate ourselves instead of waiting for that external validation. A lot of the time when we’re overworking ourselves to reach ridiculous standards, it’s really because we’re seeking that ‘well done’ from others. It’s unrealistic and only leaves us feeling like we’re not good enough.
Embrace feeling comfortable in your own skin. Similarly, it’s also ok to receive criticism from those around you who matter to you, just watch out for those online trolls!
3. Spend more time learning
I’m as guilty as the next person for not investing more time in learning, because it appears that ‘doing’ is the definition of productivity in much of today’s society.
By spending more time actually reading books or listening to podcasts which teach us more about the skills we want to learn, then we’re also consistently helping towards our own knowledge. Bettering ourselves to be of better service to others, such as our clients.
Shakespeare once said, “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.”
Whatever that thing is that you want to master, become an expert in, or create for others, find a way to do it! If your heart's in it, then that's really the only defining factor.
Comfort yourself in the thought that we’re all just trying to ‘imposter’ our way through life!