Imposter syndrome is that uneasy feeling that you lack the skills and experience necessary to do your job and the fear that at any moment you’ll be exposed as an “imposter.”

If you have ever experienced imposter syndrome, it can feel debilitating.

But it doesn’t have to be!

You can leverage your imposter syndrome to accelerate your learning, embrace new challenges and expand your capabilities.

When you’re experiencing imposter syndrome, your inner dialogue tells you that you’re not good enough, you’re not smart enough, you’re not capable.

Wow, talk about a confidence killer!

If you were talking to someone you cared about, would you ever say to them, “you’re not capable?”

NO! You’re not a monster!

Even if you knew this person was in over their head and lacked the capabilities necessary to succeed, you would still approach them with kindness, compassion, and a desire to support their success.

If you would do this for someone else, why not do it for yourself?

So, the next time you’re struggling with imposter syndrome, try shifting your mindset as follows:

Do a REALITY Check
Ask yourself why your boss hired you, promoted you, or gave you this challenging assignment. I guarantee it was for one of two reasons: (1) your boss KNOWS YOU ARE CAPABLE or (2) your boss RECOGNIZES YOUR POTENTIAL and wants to develop your capabilities through this challenging role or assignment.  If you genuinely think that you work for an evil boss trying to set you up for failure, then PROVE HIM or HER WRONG!

Focus on your STRENGTHS
Instead of thinking about your knowledge and skill gaps, shift your thinking to focus on your strengths.  YOU ARE CAPABLE! You probably aren’t consciously aware of all of your strengths because they are so natural for you.  So, find someone that knows you well and ask them what they see as your strengths.  Use the confidence boost to reset your thinking and start applying your strengths to help you work through the challenges.

Embrace the opportunity to LEARN
You’re having imposter syndrome because you want to do a good job and don’t want to fail.  What if you reframed your thinking about failure and instead embraced it as a learning opportunity?  I have news for you – nobody is perfect!  And you won’t be perfect in your new job.  You WILL make mistakes, and that’s OK.  It’s what you LEARN from those mistakes and how you choose to recover that makes all the difference.  Break down your big tasks and goals into smaller pieces that you can deliver quickly and receive feedback.  This creates what I like to call “safe fails.”  You can present your work as a draft product and quickly learn from the feedback before delivering a final product.

Ask for HELP
You don’t have to do this alone.  Working with a coach can be extremely powerful to help build your confidence, accelerate your growth, and support your aspirations.

You are good enough!  You are smart enough!  You are capable!

And, if you’d like to explore working with me as your coach, feel free to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Wishing you the best!