5 tips to overcome imposter syndrome

I had a client who was recently promoted and was super excited about it until her first executive team meeting. She walked into the room and was overwhelmed by the sense that she didn’t belong there and that they would “find out” she wasn’t really as good as they thought.  Sound familiar?  If so, you're in good company; nearly 70% of people experience imposter syndrome. 

What is imposter syndrome?  In simple terms it’s a feeling you experience when you think you’re unqualified or incompetent.  If you’ve ever felt this way you know it doesn’t feel great.  We tend to get in our heads about it, and listen to our inner chatter which reinforces that maybe we’re just not as good as we thought.

Here are 5 things you can do to diminish the great imposter!

1. Focus on facts.  Imposter syndrome is a feeling, often based on fears, not reality.  Separate your feelings from the facts.  The Conscious Leadership Group calls these facts v. stories- facts are observable truths, and stories are how you interpret them. 

2. Acknowledge your accomplishments and abilities.  Write down a list of all the amazing things you’ve done, accomplished, and achieved.  Remind yourself how powerful you felt when you did them.  Focusing on this trains your brain to look for your wins.

3. Positive self-talk.  Give yourself a personal power peptalk, remembering all the great things you’ve done (see tip 2).  Speak to yourself the way you would speak to your friend or child.  The words you speak to yourself have far more power than anything someone says to you. 

4. Be present.  When you’re in the moment it’s hard for your mind to be future or past-focused looking for everything that has and can go wrong which further feeds your fears.  Take a breath and be in the moment focusing on the little things, the temperature of the room, what people are wearing, etc. 

5. Share your feelings.  Imposter syndrome can feel very isolating, like you’re the only person who feels this way and everybody else has their s%&$ together.  Given 70% of people experience imposter syndrome chances are most people have felt exactly like you at some point. How you're feeling is very normal - don’t fight the feeling, embrace it, acknowledge it, and share it. 

Take a moment, really be with your awesomeness, and don’t let that imposter in!

Imposter syndrome is more common than you think, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. By focusing on facts, acknowledging your achievements, and sharing your feelings, you can overcome it and thrive. Ready to tackle your imposter syndrome head-on? Let’s work together to silence that inner critic and step into your full potential. Reach out to start embracing your awesomeness today!