Are You Feeling Like a Fraud?

Yesterday was not a good day.

It started off not great. And from there I just sort of spiraled. I bet you know what I’m talking about.

Yesterday was packed full of anxiety, self-doubt and unpleasant trains of thought. It was one of those days where everything just seemed wrong and I had a hard time seeing a way forward. There were a lot of thoughts that started with phrases that are indicative of Imposter Syndrome. Phrases like…

… who do you think you are to…?

… what makes you think you can…?

… why would anyone take you seriously about…?

… there is no way that you can…

I think you get what I’m trying to say here.

Self-doubt is notoriously sneaky, conniving and persuasive. Self-doubt often sounds like logical, rational thinking. But it’s not. Self-doubt’s main goal is to keep you small. Keep you unnoticed. Keep you in your box.

But I’ve decided that unless it’s an Angela-shaped box, I don’t want to be in one anymore. So I take a chance, I try something new, I make a plan, I get excited and then… hello, self-doubt.

Isn’t it crazy how we can be brimming with confidence one minute and then the next we are paralyzed with fear and uncertainty? How we can have an overwhelming feeling of assuredness and clarity only to wake up the next day and be right back in the self-doubt pit?

If you’re nodding your head (and I’m guessing you are) I have some good news for you.

EVERYONE experiences this.

And I mean EVERYONE. Even Queen Bey.

Feel like you don’t measure up? Join the club.

Anyone who tries something new feels like a fraud.

Anyone who steps out of their comfort zone experiences overwhelming fear.

Anyone who decides that something needs to change experiences self-doubt, second guessing and internal turmoil.

If you’re feeling that way, congratulations. You’re onto something. You’re on your way to something that is important to you.

The reason you’re feeling this way is simple: you care. You care about your goal or your aim. You care about where you’re going. You care about that project you’re working on, or that piece that you’re writing or that product that you’re making.

Feeling imposter syndrome means you’re getting engaged into something, that you’re experiencing some form of passion. And when you combine passion and action, amazing things can happen.

My advice? Do the next thing. Don’t worry about the finished product. Don’t worry about the big picture. Just focus on the next step.

You don’t need the whole path illuminated. You just need a small flashlight that will tell you where to step next.

Here’s your flashlight.

Let’s step it up.