4 Ways to Combat Imposter Syndromeoriginally appeared onShine, a free daily text to help you thrive.
I had applied and interviewed, but did they really believe I was qualified?
Sure, I had done marketing before.
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And I had an MBA.
And Id managed people.
But I wasnt ready for this, I thought.
There had to be a mix up.
When I realized there was no mistakethey wanted to hire memy emotions turned from confusion to terror.
But that didnt happen.
After the first quarter, I was shocked when the CEO attributed the sales growth to my work.
Naturally, I thanked her, but said I couldnttake credit.
The sales team had been working tirelessly, and I was just getting my feet wet.
Heres the thing, though: It wasnt beginners luck.
My thought pattern going into the role belonged to the imposter.
Who is the imposter?
The more significant the change, the louder the voice.
It says things like: Why would they hire you?
You dont have the experience.
Youve just gotten lucky.
One womanthe chairperson of her departmentsaid, Obviously Im in this position because my abilities have been overestimated.
The imposter keeps you small.
It halts your progressyou think youre not smart enough, so you stop trying.
Before I became a coach, I once managed a young woman who clearly felt like an imposter.
She was creative and brilliant, but she couldnt see it.
Over time, I too began believing her imposter, doubting her own potential.
Her insecurities and failure to act rendered her incapable of performing to her potential.
Either way, the imposter makes you live small.
The good news: There are strategies to combat the pesky imposter.
Here are four ways to quiet the negative voice in your head.
Learn how to recognize your imposter.
Remember the old saying, Keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer?
The truth is, youll never fully get rid of the imposter.
New challenges stoke old fears and insecurities, and that imposter will be right there with you.
So why not embrace it?
Start by recognizing your imposter, getting to know its voice, and even giving it a name.
Decide how you want to play with your imposter and set the rules.
It took some coaching, but I now lean in to my imposter.
I invite Ursula to take a stab at get between me and my next big thing.
Know that youre not alone.
Sheryl Sandberg,Katy Kay, andMaya Angelouadmit to feeling like an imposter from time to time.
In a recentstudy of 116 CEOs, the number one fear was being discovered as incompetent.
And its not just CEOs and celebrities.
Try talking to your friends and colleagues; youll find out that others face similar struggles.
Prove your imposter wrong.
Try creating a brag file.
List the challenges that youve faced in the last five years.
For each, write down how you overcame them and what you learned.
Include results and accomplishments.
For each brag, note the skills, capabilities, and qualities that contributed to your success.
(Bonus: This will come in handy the next time youre updating your resume!)
The facts of your greatness are undeniable, even by the most serious of imposters.
Let go of perfection, and take action.
Action is the best antidote to your imposter.
Putting action ahead of thinking can change ingrained thought patterns and behaviors.
It shifts the way our brains operate and makes them more confidence prone.
To take action, youll have to let go of perfect.
The challenges you face wont always be easy, and you will stumble.
Know that mistakes dont make you less capablethey mean youre taking risks and youre human, not an imposter.
Failure is not only ok, its necessary to succeed and experience life at its fullest.
In some caseslike mineyou may need to work with a professional to overcome your imposter.
A coach or therapist can help you work with your imposter and focus on where you #shine.
While feeling like an imposter can be tough, you’re free to overcome it.
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