We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Samantha Kozuch a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Samantha, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I truly believe that the only way to overcome imposter syndrome is to know and understand that every single person is a beginner at some point in their journey, and the only way that they become comfortable or an expert is to take action on those goals over and over and over and over. I’ve learned that there is always going to be someone more experienced than you, better than you, smarter than you, prettier than you, fitter than you – but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to step up into the space and become an expert yourself!
Looking back to the beginning of my journey in my early 20’s, I can honestly say that I was very delusional, had an ego, and had a strong mindset of believing in myself and knowing that whatever I set my mind to I could accomplish. Now that’s not to say I wasn’t afraid, or worried about what people thought of me, or had a fear of failure, but I knew that if I didn’t go after the desires and the goals that I wanted to accomplish, then I would be stuck living the life that I currently had which I was not happy with.
To this day, even with all the success and proof of success that I have had (millions of dollars in revenue, thousands of customers, etc) – imposter syndrome still creeps in at times! I find it to be a normal part of growth and self-development. It means I am stretching myself and pushing myself to new limits. When the feeling of imposter creeps in I ask myself: Are these thoughts based on facts or feelings? What’s the worst-case scenario? What would I tell a friend in a similar situation? Have I experienced this before? Am I setting unrealistic standards? Have I experienced this before and was I successful? What skills and knowledge that I have learned can support me with this?
When I challenge the negative thoughts of imposter syndrome I gain a more balanced perspective and build self-confidence. It’s having that self-awareness and a solid positive mindset shift that helps me overcome these crippling thoughts. Then I get any support that I need (if necessary) and I take action on that task or activity for the first time as a beginner, then I just kept trying and doing it again, and again, and again, and then all of a sudden I’m no longer a beginner and on my way to normalizing what was once a fear or having the feelings of imposter syndrome. Having imposter syndrome is normal – the majority of people experience it!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m Samantha Kozuch, the founder, heart, and soul behind The Maniscripting Journal, and I’m thrilled to share the magical journey that birthed this transformative tool. Eight years ago, life handed me a pivotal moment, a wake-up call that urged me onto a path of self-discovery and manifestation. At 26, armed with zero knowledge about manifestation or the law of attraction, I started crafting daily rituals and a routine to create a positive mindset and self-development. These rituals weren’t just routines; they were my lifeline, helping me thrive despite uncertainties. Ignoring doubts and familial skepticism, I took a leap, moving to another state fueled by sheer hopes and dreams to go after a career I wasn’t fully sure I would succeed in to change my life. The game-changer? My self-created Maniscripting routine, a daily practice that not only kept me focused but opened the floodgates to manifesting my dream life. Fast forward to July 2020, amidst the chaos of a global pandemic, I felt an intuition nudging me to share my transformative morning routine. Witnessing the collective trauma of my community, I knew the Maniscripting method could be a beacon of hope. As I started sharing on Instagram, the transformations among women were astounding. This led to the birth of The Maniscripting Journal, a gorgeous luxury journal and tangible space for women to heal, manifest, and empower themselves.
Today, with over 30,000 Maniscripting journals in the hands of the Sisterhood community, my mission is clear — to help other women rise to their fullest potential and embrace their higher selves. Every sold journal is a celebration, a recognition that manifestation isn’t just a concept; it’s a lifestyle.
The Maniscripting Journal is more than a tool; it’s an invitation to a journey of empowerment, abundance, and the realization of your deepest desires. We’re constantly evolving. The Sisterhood community is buzzing with empowerment, and I’m beyond thrilled to announce our plans for 2024 which include our first live in-person event in Austin, TX in the fall, retreats in spring for Sedona and fall in Mexico, free monthly workshops, and, of course, fresh journal editions and colors. We are also launching a Maniscripting Man journal this year, which has been asked for by our community for the past two years, so we are very excited to help support the men looking to transform and uplevel their lives.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Today, it is very easy for anyone to become an entrepreneur or business owner which means there’s a lot of noise out there with people starting their brands and companies. Understanding that building a successful business is a marathon and not a sprint which means putting the blinders on and not comparing yourself to anyone else along your journey. There are 3 major keys that I have learned over the years of being an entrepreneur:
Being willing to be a student – If you have the attitude of “I know it all” or “I don’t need any help” or think “I am the best of the best”, is a mentality that might help you in the beginning, but in the long run, it is going to hurt your success. You have to be willing to be a student, be the dumbest person in the room, and not be afraid to seek or ask for help. Always be willing to learn and do something to learn something new every day.
Not waiting for someone to invite you in – With all the podcasts, stages, events, and collaborations in the space today you might fall into a place where you may wonder why you’re not getting asked or invited when you start making a name for yourself or company. You have to go get those opportunities yourself or create those opportunities yourself. The entrepreneurial space can become very cliquey and sometimes the people you yearn to be friends don’t have any interest in wanting to be friends with you or the stages or podcasts you’d love to be invited on don’t happen… This can make you feel very lonely or not good enough – but this is your opportunity to create your opportunities by creating new relationships, creating your podcast or event, and creating your stage.
Be a self-starter – In today’s entrepreneurial world, there is a course, a coach, and a mastermind for EVERY INDUSTRY. Don’t feel like you have to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars to invest in education to start or grow your business. True entrepreneurs are self-starters – you have the drive to figure it out yourself and don’t need to put yourself into debt doing it! In my early days of entrepreneurship, I thought if I spent hundreds or thousands on mentorship then I would make hundreds or thousands more in income – not true! Everything that you could want to learn is available online for free through Google, YouTube, and even podcasts. Using money as an excuse to not learn the tools you need to grow and succeed is just that – an excuse! I started my e-commerce company (now doing millions in revenue) but never invested in any courses, coaches, or masterminds for e-commerce. I learned it all from research. I’m not saying this is for everyone, BUT I am saying there is a way to be able to start and grow a company without spending money on education. There is a huge benefit to having a mentor if you need it, but also you shouldn’t have to rely on a mentor to keep you going. There’s a lot of snake oil out there in the mentorship space, so if you decide to go that route, be careful and do your homework on whoever you decide to invest with.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I read or listen to audible almost daily. It’s hard to pick just one book because I’ve read so many and each one has impacted my personal life or the way that I do business, but the one that I could not put down and constantly refer to is Outwitting The Devil by Napoleon Hill.
Outwitting the Devil is an incredible self-help book that proved a lot of beliefs that I already had about our reality. The fact that it was originally written in 1938 and not published until 70 years later due to being “too controversial for its time” and then reading it today it’s mind-blowing that it was written that long again because it’s like it was written in today’s day and age.
The most valuable nugget of wisdom from this book emphasizes the importance of having a clear and definite purpose in life. Having a lack of definiteness of purpose leads a person to drift and mediocrity. Knowing what you want and having a burning desire to achieve it is crucial for success. Also, one must take responsibility for their thoughts and actions – no blaming others, society, government, etc. It emphasizes the power of personal choice and accountability in shaping one’s destiny. By accepting responsibility, you can regain control of your life. It gives clear advice and values to follow on how to succeed in life today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://maniscripting.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthakozuch/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themaniscriptingjournal
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/money-mindset-and-manicures-with-samantha-kozuch/id1697694007
