Do This to Conquer Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome is the reason I'm talking about this in my early 50's and not my 40's! It's the reason it took me so long to quit my job, and when I finally did start my own business, Imposter Syndrome is what kept me hiding behind my laptop and postponed my dream business.
In my mind, becoming visible online meant the whole world – friends, bosses, colleagues – would surely point their finger and laugh, "What does SHE think she's doing?"
If you have ever felt the sting of comparison and thought...
"I'm not as smart as them..." or "I'm not the 'high achiever' who did ALL the right things..."
If you think any success you've experienced was due to pure luck or tend to talk down your own achievements, then it's likely that Imposter Syndrome has derailed you as well.
Imposter Syndrome basically means you feel like a FRAUD and struggle to internalize your accomplishments. You may not feel deserving of success, or that you can't make a difference anyway.
The actual term is Imposter Phenomenon and by definition: It “refers to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”, despite external evidence of their competence,” as per a study in the International Journal of Behavioral Science.
It comes down to FEAR. And Fear can stop you from doing the very things that will set you up for success, like BEING SEEN. Which means it's stopping you from becoming visible in your business (like doing live video, podcasts, or posting other valuable content.)
So what can you do to overcome Imposter Syndrome?
People will tell you to change your mindset, to reframe limiting beliefs… BUT HOW do you do that?
To manage and conquer Imposter Syndrome, you must embody confidence AND COURAGE, rather than repeating affirmations you simply don't believe.
Here is a practice that can help you. (You can also grab my free downloadable Tool!)
This practice is what I call THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS. I was inspired to create this while reading one of my all time favorite books by Brene Brown, Daring Greatly.
The Cycle of Success will help you to embody confidence, rather than simply repeating affirmations that may or may not work for you.
Here's how this works...
#1 - Recognize that taking this action is necessary for your growth. Accept that there are fears coming up and that this is completely normal.
#2 - Take the action – imperfectly. When you take the action, you'll have a perception on how you performed. Remember, this perception comes from your own mind, which means it will be influenced by your limiting beliefs among other things. So it's not surprising if you give yourself an uber-critical review!
BUT the key to overcoming Imposter Syndrome is to begin training your brain by celebrating the courageous action you just took, rather than focusing on everything you've botched up.
#3- Give yourself a Positive Perception & Feedback Review.
Do this by first giving yourself a pat on the back for actually doing the thing that scares the heck out of you. Recognize this as a great accomplishment!
Ask yourself constructive questions without judging yourself negatively.
- What did I RIGHT?
- What went well?
- What am I proud of?
Only after that, should you ask yourself what you can improve upon. Remember, there is no such thing as perfection!
When those imposter thoughts sneak in, reframe them.
- Turn thoughts like “Who am I to do this?” into “I am enough," "I know what I'm talking about," "I deserve to be seen and heard..."
When you Strive to be better, while celebrating the action in this way, you'll begin to evolve past the fears and stuck-ness.
#4 - Experience a new feeling of pride and worthiness. As you repeat this Cycle, you'll notice you begin to feel proud and more worthy of the action you need to take. It may barely be noticeable first, second, or even the third time around. But it will grow as you continue going through the Cycle of Success.
Each time around, you take courageous, confident, and imperfect action. Each time, you'll feel your confidence and courage slowly building more and more so that taking the action becomes easier and more pleasant.
Now that you understand the Cycle of Success, it's time to BE SEEN, by joining my free Facebook Group!
