Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and insights from phenomenal artists, creatives and entrepreneurs who’ve successfully managed to overcome imposter syndrome.

Robin Crookall

Overcoming impostor syndrome as an artist was a journey fueled by relentless dedication and a commitment to producing copious amounts of work. I recognize that it’s normal to be plagued by doubts and the constantly comparing myself to others.  Read more>>

Cathy Fyock

My first book was under contract, yet I couldn’t get started writing (and I’m normally a go-getter type person). During this same time I was experiencing a recurring nightmare: I was standing in a boardroom in front of a group of executives, and when I looked down I realized I was naked! Egads. What did that mean? I had no idea, until I was on a business trip and in the seat pocket in front of me was a magazine featuring a lead article on the dreams of executive women. Read more>>

Alex Miller

From a young age, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I grew up on stories of my family’s entrepreneurial journeys, and I was hooked. I was fascinated with the stories behind building businesses and the minds that brought them to life. Over many years, I continuously created new ideas and pitched them to those around me.  Read more>>

Terry Runyan

Imposter syndrome used to be something I experienced quite a bit. I never felt like a “real” artist but only good at emulating other’s style or had creative success by some fluke. I thought being a real artist meant that you had creative ideas flowing through you and an innate talent to put it down on paper or some other substrate. Read more>>

Brian Lee

No matter how much experience we have, imposter syndrome is something that everyone faces at some point throughout their career or personal life. It’s human nature to question if we’re qualified to not only be performing specific actions, but providing advice or guidance on it. Read more>>

KJ Udell

I had to choose this topic because, so truthfully, I was trying to choose a topic and thought, “Oh wow I don’t have a good enough story for any of these things”. Is that not a LITERAL SIGN?! hahaha 🙂 So I guess the reality is that I still struggle with imposter syndrome. I do so many cool things – I’m a mom, I own an aerial fitness studio, I’m an Associate Director at my day job, and I’m a circus performer.  Read more>>

Emily Tuckman

To be honest, it’s all a work in progress. Starting out on the business side a little later in life (I have been an actor since I was ten years old, but I took 10 years off in my mid 20s to mid 30s to teach full time) it was difficult to jump in at age 35 to a business where most started in their 20s. Especially when I got pregnant two years in.  Read more>>

Colleen Keane

Wow. Imposter syndrome. I think that is really prevalent in the entertainment industry. Since I came to create Moving On Films in a roundabout way, I probably suffer from it more than I care to admit. I started out as an assistant at Imagine Films. Having decided I wanted to work in film, I thought I’d best learn the business from the best in the business.  Read more>>

Krystal White

Most of us have experienced a situation where we feel we are out of our depth, inadequate and faking our confidence. I don’t see why there’s anything wrong with these situations or our feelings about ourselves. Read more>>

Scotia Boyd

Overcoming Imposter syndrome is an on-going process but something that’s been a huge help to me has been reading. I’ve taken an interest in learning about the lives of artists across all creative industries and I came to realize that everyone experiences imposter syndrome. Read more>>

Sharnise Sears

Imposter syndrome is a real struggle, and I can relate to the ups and downs that come with it. Some days, like today, I’m in the zone, knocking out interviews and feeling on top of the world. But then there are those days when even the thought of opening my laptop feels overwhelming. And you know what? That’s okay.  Read more>>

Andrew Glass

I’m not sure that I’ve fully overcome imposter syndrome yet, even after nearly 7 years of owning my brand! There are definitely moments where I think “wow, I am a part of this crazy community,” but I think its easy for insecurities to pop back up when you see other brands doing things you want to do, growing faster, etc.  Read more>>

Taylor Gladmon

I overcame imposter syndrome by truly believing in myself and recognizing my own worth. With over a decade of experience in bartending, it has become second nature to me, reaffirming my skills and expertise. Read more>>

Aimee Omohundro

No matter how long I’ve worked with resin art, every time I go to a craft show, I feel like an imposter. Every time, the beautiful comments and encouragement from buyers and friends shows me that I am wrong. As I’ve worked through these feelings, it has encouraged me to improve my craft and continue to learn new techniques. I strive every day to make more beautiful and intricate pieces. Read more>>

Syndenn Sweet

Do we ever really get over imposter syndrome? I think the answer and the key to that will ultimately be you have to be comfortable with yourself and be able to understand that when you get a following, people are coming to experience you. Sometimes when we achieve success in a field, especially when it comes to something subjective like any creative endeavor..  Read more>>

Christyn Ford

It wasn’t easy, I can tell you that. Being a woman in the trades my work gets judged harsher than my male peers at times. For the first 10 years of my career I hated every install I worked on. I would go home and obsess on all the things I did wrong. I was honestly afraid to ask clients for reviews because I figured they didn’t like my work either, but were just being polite. Read more>>

Paige Monece

There is a writer that goes by the name of Noah Kagan who I recently discovered. He has a saying that goes, “don’t overthink it, don’t overdo it, start with that you have”. This has helped me escape imposter syndrome, perfectionism and fear. Read more>>

Jordan Brooks

Honestly, I am not sure if that is a feeling that truly goes away. I believe the key is reflection and appreciation combo with understanding of one’s neuroplasticity. Being aware of one’s lows and highs and how to adjust especially when you have more than one project. Being able to adapt, to allow your brain to really react and respond is the goal of neuroplasticity. Read more>>

Anna Rose Bain

As a fresh-faced college grad, I quickly discovered that the road to becoming a professional artist would not be easy. I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome. Even though I did very well at my small, private college (in fact, I was the first in the college’s 150+year history to have a solo senior art exhibit)—I quickly realized that in college I was a big fish in a small pond. The real world looks a lot different!  Read more>>

Nacira Hall

Overcoming imposter syndrome was a journey that required self-reflection, resilience, and support from others. I recognized that my feelings of inadequacy were not based on objective evidence of my capabilities, but rather on self-doubt and comparison to others. Read more>>

St4rboy!

Well as a music artist, I have a very common artist name “St4rboy!” And on top of that I’m a twin and everyone tries to compare me to my brother or The Weeknd but i blow past that because I have drive and passion for what I do. I have such a unique sound and cadence that i guarantee will see the light of day soon enough to the world one day. Read more>>

Jan Jackson

Imposter syndrome is something I struggled with for the majority of my life. I would be in spaces, at tables, and in rooms wondering, “How did I get here?” I would often question why people wanted to know my thoughts and ideas, and anxiety became a constant companion. Read more>>

Matthew Muñoz

Learning about an exemplar and their particular ignorance can help; doubts are nebulous, so specific stories can be convincing. Here’s one if you run out: Art requires imposition. Blake learned sweeping lines from secondhand woodcuts (artifacts of translation) and applied them to relief printing (where lines were technically convenient). Limits on knowledge and experience were instrumental (and inevitable). Read more>>

Pamela Diaz Martinez

I quit teaching college and picked up an internship and eventually a job working in fashion. Men’s and women’s bespoke shoes became my creative outlet while getting experience in a field other than contemporary art. Imposter syndrome started with many feelings of not having much to say about art except having a few exhibitions. I felt that my limited experience wasn’t enough for my college students, so I quit. Read more>>

Diana Garcia

I learned to befriend and make peace with its presence. Let me explain a bit more; my imposter syndrome really got activated once I started in my field as a therapist, specifically when I started working with clients. I felt this enormous pressure to “get it right” and ensure I was doing what was within my power to help a client. Read more>>

Beth Saylors

I have been practicing for almost 20 years, and imposter syndrome still creeps in. My advice to clients who experience this is to keep a list of your achievements and accolades, have concrete examples of success, and remember, your thoughts aren’t always telling you the truth. If only I always practiced what I preached!  Read more>>

Lauren Elizabeth Harris

I think imposter syndrome is often something that’s associated with women because women have been conditioned to believe they don’t belong in certain places. I hope to flip the narrative that women belong in any seat that they wish to have, so that no one has to feel imposter syndrome. Read more>>

Clara Guedelhoff

I wouldn’t quite say that I have overcome imposter syndrome. I’m not sure that this is something that can be overcome. I think with how connected everyone is today, it’s easier than ever, for creatives especially, to feel like a fraud. We constantly see other people’s work and compare ourselves to them and wonder how our own work stacks up in comparison to theirs. Read more>>

Melody LeBaron

I believe many women have imposter syndrome because of our cultural patriarchal indoctrination. I overcame imposter syndrome during my priestess training, when I discovered the parts of my own consciousness that were upholding patriarchy. During a shadow work exercise, we were asked to get in touch with our own “Inner Patriarch” and then with the inner female part who upheld the patriarchy, our “Inner Matriarch.” Read more>>

Cherron Lampkins

After many years of self-doubt and feeling worthless in many aspects, I had to learn how to overcome these horrible feelings. I learned that, overcoming imposter syndrome involves acknowledging your gifts or accomplishments and reframing negative thoughts you have placed on yourself. Read more>>

Kiana Watson

I overcame imposter syndrome by learning how to accept my opportunities. I had to teach myself that I was worthy of whatever came my way. That companies wouldn’t reach out to me and book me if they weren’t looking for ME. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my moments of self doubt. But I just have to remind myself that I am THAT GIRL. It’s all about how self confidence! Read more>>

Nic Crawford

Imposter syndrome is something that every business owner will experience at some point in their career. As a woman and fineline specialist, the imposter syndrome hit especially hard as I was entering the world of tattooing. The tattoo industry is a heavily male dominated community that has gatekept the skills and talents needed to be successful.  Read more>>

Victor Quintana

In my career, overcoming imposter syndrome has been a continuous journey, especially highlighted by my experiences with my content production company. Initially, starting the company was both exhilarating and daunting. The challenge of wearing multiple hats—creative director, accountant, marketer, editor, social media manager—sometimes left me questioning my capabilities and decisions. Read more>>

Ankur Gupta

I’ll never totally be over it, and I’m thankful for that. No matter how hard I try, how thorough I am, how conscientious I am about my clinical delivery, there are always times where the result doesn’t match what I had envisioned. Read more>>

Dr. Linda F. Williams, DSW

I overcome imposter syndrome by looking at it as a smoke screen that isn’t real unless I believe it’s lies. Think about it. Smoke is so non-resistant. If you run your hands through it, it doesn’t push back. If you walk through it, there is no resistance. Read more>>

Aiyana Da’Briel

Imposter Syndrome is a tricky character – it eats away in the back of your brain, feasting on insecurities of simply not being enough for the challenge in front of you. Not old enough, not strong enough, not smart enough, not the right skin or gender or class. It is a predatory bully that pits us against better versions of ourselves and says that we will never get there. Read more>>