Are You an Imposter?

“I shouldn’t be here. Everyone else in the room is more qualified than me.”

“I’m not as smart as others, so I have to work harder.”

“The thought of making a mistake is terrifying. Everyone will see that I’m not as good as I should be.”

If you’ve had these or similar thoughts, you’ve experienced Impostor Syndrome. And you’re not alone. Researchers found more than 70% of us have felt like an impostor at some point in our professional life. 

If these thoughts come to you regularly, you’re experiencing Impostor Syndrome.

It isn’t a mental illness. Instead, it’s a recurring sense of dread that others will discover you’ve been “faking it” at work. The irony is that it mostly strikes over-achievers – the very people with intelligence and talent you admire. The folks who seem to have it all together? They’re the ones most likely to feel like impostors.

So ask yourself some questions:

Are you uncomfortable accepting praise for your accomplishments?

Do you doubt your general intelligence?

Do you think other people would be disappointed if they realized what you “really” know?

Do you check Google all. the. time. to double check your ideas and even word choice? 

If you’re answering “Yes” to some or all of these, I know how you feel.

I have a master’s degree and Ph.D. from really good schools. I’ve been a full-time faculty member at one of the top business schools in the country for 20 years. I’ve consulted and taught development programs for executives across dozens of industries for 30 years. I’ve published articles and even written a textbook.

And I feel Impostor Syndrome. I crave feedback- but think only the negative comments are valid. I hesitate to share new ideas unless I know others already support them.

I know I’m not alone – lots of people I admire have admitted they feel Impostor Syndrome. Maya Angelou. Tom Hanks. Tina Fey.

And maybe you?

If you want to learn more about Impostor Syndrome and ways to overcome it, please join me. Let’s start by getting to know one another. 

You can join our Facebook Group >>> Join Now. I want this to be a space where we can talk candidly about Impostor fears and how to work through them. I want to hear your stories and offer what coaching I can.

I hope you’ll join us!