IMPOSTER SYNDROME – LEAVE ME ALONE!
Have you ever heard of “imposter syndrome”? If not, you may have experienced it but didn’t even recognize what was happening. You were discounting your talents, intellect and successes by reducing your confidence in your abilities or your “voice at the table”.
The Imposter Syndrome definition from Harvard Business Review: a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. The Harvard Business Review goes on to describe the “imposters” as suffering from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence. A lot of researchers link the syndrome with perfectionism. It seems to hit women more than men, according to Harvard Business Review.
I really hate to admit it, but I have experienced Imposter Syndrome at various times in my life. Not to toot my own horn, but I really do have a lot of experience and talent to warrant myself being worthy of speaking on a subject, being tasked with the project, etc. Why do I sometimes second guess myself? Friend…why do you second guess yourself? God has given us abilities and experiences that He wants us to use – don’t waste what we have been given!
Imposter Syndrome has snuck into my life recently. I am stepping out of my comfort zone and writing an e-book (with hopes of expanding it into a full-blown published book in the future). The narrative in my head – who do you think you are to write a book….even a short e-book? Who would want to read what you feel called to write? And the conversation in my head continues with these self-defeating thoughts!
First, if you suffer from Imposter Syndrome, I want you to really evaluate what dialogue you are having with yourself. (Disclaimer…I am not a therapist….don’t claim to be one…I am just a friend and woman who is working through this irritating bump in the road to achieve what I want!) Write down all of your experiences, your gifts/talents and your successes. Draw on all of those things and release yourself from Imposter Syndrome. You deserve the opportunity…you deserve to start your own business…you are equipped…you are talented! I am right there with you. I have done these exercises for myself and it was an eye opener. So now I am ready to get started and now I say…
“IMPOSTER SYNDROME – LEAVE ME ALONE!”
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!
WEAR THE PERFUME!
Linda
