Yes, you heard us! Not only is your imposter syndrome holding you back in life, if you are an entrepreneur, it is actually costing you money.
How many times have you saw a cool opportunity but didn’t put your hand up for it?
How many times did you think about pitching a life-changing client but shied away?
How often do you see people less experienced than you doing things that you know you would do better?
How many times have you shied away from promoting yourself because you weren’t sure if you were good enough?
Imposter syndrome is stopping your new business from reaching its full potential. It is damaging for small business owners to have imposter syndrome but downright dangerous for solopreneurs to have it!
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the belief that you are not as good as people believe you are. Someone who has imposter syndrome will feel like a fraud, and they will be found out at any moment. They will doubt themselves and their skills, no matter how much they accomplish or how much praise they receive.
People from all backgrounds and all genders experience imposter syndrome. For some people, they may experience it in small instances; in others, they may experience it regularly throughout their lives. Look at some of these well-known people who experience imposter syndrome:
- Lady Gaga
- Serena Williams
- Barbara Corcoran
- Tom Hanks
- Matt Higgins
- Tina Fey
- Lupita Nyong’o
How to Deal With Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is like a niggling little voice in the back of your head. You may not be able to get it to go away completely, but you can drown it out with confidence.
Know That Everyone Experiences It
Look at some of these well-known people who experience imposter syndrome:
- Lady Gaga
- Serena Williams
- Barbara Corcoran
- Tom Hanks
- Matt Higgins
- Tina Fey
- Lupita Nyong’o
Do you think any of these people have any reason to doubt themselves? No, they are hardworking, smart and talented people who most people would think are crazy for having even a moment of doubt. Any time your self-doubt kicks in, tell yourself that Lady Gaga and Serena Williams doubt themselves too, and that means that often doubt is unfounded.
Frame It As a Positive
Instead of worrying about whether you’re qualified to even be in the room, use it as a prompt to do a little more preparation or research. Work out exactly what else you need to prepare to feel confident enough that you can ignore that little voice of imposter syndrome.
Why Not Me?
Someone out there has to get that opportunity; someone has to be the best business in your industry, so ask yourself, “why not me?” What is holding you back from going out there and getting the wins that other people are pursuing? By stopping and asking yourself that question, you will prevent the self-doubt spiral from taking over. It will halt the imposter syndrome talk and show you that there is no rational reason why it can’t be you.
Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
You are your own individual person, and your journey will look different to those around you. There is no point comparing yourself to anyone else because you are making a comparison on uneven footing. Focus instead on how to improve and compete with yourself.
List Reasons You Are a Boss
List a number of things that you are proud of that you have accomplished, both professionally and personally. Keep this list on your phone, so you can add to it from time to time and look at it whenever you need a confidence boost. It will remind you of every success you have had and what you have overcome.
Keep a Record of How Far You’ve Come
The only person you should ever compete with is yourself. Make a note of where you are every 6 months to a year so you can look back on everything you have achieved and how much you have grown over the years. You will be surprised at how much you grow in 6 months and how easy it is to turn things around. List all circumstances, good and bad, so you can look at everything you have achieved.
Know That Imposter Syndrome Does Not Mean You Can’t Do It
Imposter syndrome is not an indicator of your ability. It is just a moment of doubt and anxiety. Remember that you can be very capable of doing the job and still doubt yourself; just look at the list of celebrities who battle with imposter syndrome.
Often battling past it is the best way to learn to ignore imposter syndrome.
Want to learn about how to combat stress as a business owner? Read this article.