I feel like I'm going to get found out 😓
As you walk into the room, your chest starts to pound.
Your hands start to feel sweaty.
Your breathing becomes rapid and shallow.
You’re asked to introduce yourself, your achievements and why you’re here.
These thoughts start running through your mind…
Why would they care who I am, I am nobody. I’m not supposed to be here, nor do I deserve to be. Everyone is so much more amazing than I am. Surely they’ll realise soon that they’ve made a big mistake. I’m not the person that they think I am.
I feel like an imposter.
Does this sound familiar?
Imposter syndrome is real. It’s a term coined to describe a feeling high achievers have when they can’t realise and recognise their success. They are also deathly afraid of being exposed as a fake.
If you answer yes to any of these, then you could be suffering from it.
Feeling like a fraud and being “found out"
Downplaying your own achievements all the time
Accrediting your success to anything and anyone but yourself
Now, what do we do about it?
I think the best way to combat imposter syndrome is to identify when others are selling themselves short - especially the really amazing people in your life. Here's a start - call them out and tell them how f*cking amazing they are.
I mean really take the time to recognise their strengths, achievements and specific examples.
Then sit them down, look them in the eye and tell them in a sweet serious manner…
"You are f*cking the bomb com and this is why…”
When we start recognising in others how strong, smart, creative, wonderful they are - we are able to recognise this better in ourselves too.
A lot more of us suffer from this syndrome than you know - even Angelou and Einstein had their bouts of it too.
"I have written eleven books, but each time I think, “Uh-oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.” - Maya Angelou
"…the exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler." - Albert Einstein