Self-doubt and imposter syndrome have stopped far too many talented folks from going for their goals and reaching their true potential. Our hope is to host conversations that inspire folks to overcome imposter syndrome and help others as well.
Alexa Shea Falk-Johns
I don’t believe in imposter syndrome the same way many others might. Instead I’ve coined a term that feels more personally honest to me. I call it the “caterpillar syndrome.” Even with wings, we can still remember life on the “ground” so to speak, but just because we were once a caterpillar, doesn’t mean we aren’t also a butterfly. Read more>>
Anna Bibikova
In my first job as an Industrial Designer, fresh out of college, working for a company that sold cookware (an area I knew nothing about), I felt like a huge impostor. I was so intimidated and I took the entirely wrong approach; I tried to appear like I was doing okay, I didn’t have any dumb questions to ask, and overall I tried to make myself as invisible as possible so no one would find out just how lost I felt. As a result, I was assigned less and less projects, my work suffered and so did my self esteem, and eventually… I was laid off. Read more>>
Charles Curtice
Well, how does anyone overcome imposter syndrome. The short answer is the one we’ve all heard: “Fake it ’til you make it.” The long answer is a bit more complicated than that, but I’ll give you the rundown. Read more>>
T.J. Rosemond
Imposter syndrome is something I still struggle with everyday, there are so many talented people out there that its hard to feel like your work isn’t good enough, but I am fortunate enough to have people around me that encourage me to share my work and to feel confident in it while doing so. Read more>>
Donald Wilson II
My faith, wife, and kids negate my imposter syndrome. Never majoring in or taking formal art classes can sometimes have that imposter syndrome settle in, but reassuring myself through scripture has always helped. My wife and kids also hype me up and make me feel like the greatest artist of all time. I love their support. Read more>>
Sheffie Robinson
I began my coding journey 30 years ago when I was just 12 years old. However, it wasn’t until I reached the age of 35 that I felt comfortable calling myself an “engineer.” Imposter syndrome had held me back for years. You see, being self-taught and lacking a formal degree, I had this notion that I needed someone else to validate my engineering status. Read more>>
Jessica Vaage
Honestly, I haven’t, and I’m not sure I ever will, but that’s okay! So many people I know feel like imposters but we don’t talk about it enough to know. Some of my friends who have been in the field longer than I’ve been alive still feel that way too. Read more>>
Jessy Rice
When I really think about it, I’m not sure I have completely overcome imposter syndrome. I mean, does anyone ever really remove all their doubts and insecurities? I suppose the trick is to simply not think about whether you are an imposter and, instead, just do the work. Read more>>
Carolyn Rogers
Early in my career I was almost paralyzed with imposter syndrome. As a professional organizer I often think that what I do is not rocket science so having doubts about why people would pay me to do it is not uncommon for me even today. But I’ve overcome imposter syndrome by re-framing it as a good thing. I once attended a women’s conference and one of the speakers said that having imposter syndrome simply means that we subconsciously recognize that we have space to grow and improve. Read more>>
Darla Slade
As an influencer, there are no rules or hard measurements. Yet, many of us feel the need to compare ourselves to each other and think….I am not as good of an influencer as that other person. Read more>>
Courtney Barriger
“I am an artist,” I said a little too firmly to the bouncer, who raised an eyebrow, taken aback. “Okayyy,” he crossed my name off of a long list, and gave me the go-ahead, making eye contact with my friend who was helping me carry art. They broke out in laughter, my friend eyeing me questioningly but with respect. It was the first time I said out loud the person I was becoming, and it came out very awkwardly. Read more>>
Bartley Chavez
Right when I got out of college I started a social media business. Nobody was working in the field at the time since it was all brand new. Facebook had just launched business pages so I was completely self taught. Read more>>
Sophie Cox
Imposter syndrome is something that affects most, if not all, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Self-doubt can be an overwhelming feeling when left unchecked. In my experience, the wisest thing for me to do when I am feeling this way is to acknowledge these thoughts, and identify where they are coming from. Read more>>
Rebekah Beneteau
I once heard a speaker say that, ‘”You are an expert when you declare yourself one.” I took that to heart when I started my coaching practice. Even though I had been an energy healer for several years after graduating from the prestigious Barbara Brennan School of Healing, I didn’t have any coaching credentials. One of my friends said she would pay me for relationship advice, and I seized the moment. Read more>>
Klanci and Evan Gauthier
Ha, I don’t think you ever overcome imposter syndrome. Not fully. What I can say is that with practice you can learn to ignore it. Evan and I are in a small niche consumer category and we’re also the smallest player in the category, so it can be easy to let your brain tell you you’re not good enough to take up space. Read more>>
Deborah Aarons
rowing up, I was always praised for my talent and ability. I was a singer, a song writer, dancer, actress, decent student and a self proclaimed problem solver. I didn’t really pay attention to the self doubt from my internal voice until i felt like it was drowning me. From my first memory I remember “I did it okay, I wish I could do it better” I compared myself to everyone who in my mind was successful. Read more>>
Katherine Melton
Imposter syndrome, which by definition is one’s difficulty to believe that their successes are deserved or believing they are not as competent as others may perceive them to be, can be a true struggle for many individuals regardless of the setting or field that they are in. I, myself, have struggled with imposter syndrome. This was true when I was new into the professional world out of college, and especially true when I began to develop the Rediscovering You mental health nonprofit. Read more>>
Jaxon Buzzell
I think imposter syndrome is something that may always have a small space in my mind, but a friend told me that ‘imposters don’t have imposter syndrome’ and that made me feel like I was in the right place doing the right things. The amount of care I have for the work I do and the passion behind it always shines through, and I feel like as long as I maintain that I’ll be true to what I’m doing and not an imposter. Read more>>
Kyle Andrew
To be honest, I consider concurring imposter syndrome as a recent victory. I had to work hard to alter my mindset, stop second guessing myself, and know that this is one of my innate gifts. Read more>>
Matty Griswold
Imposter syndrome. One of the real perks of the human condition. I’m not quite sure if I’ve defeated or overcome the insidious thought that maybe “I’m not good enough” but I have learned to face my fear of it. If anything, imposter syndrome is the touchstone of growth in an artist’s life. Read more>>
Josh Pittsenbargar
With imposter syndrome, depression, or writer’s block, it’s important to note that these things don’t just go away. they are staples in my creative pursuits and most likely will never be truly “overcome”. With that said, imposter syndrome for creatives is one of the more annoying issues that we encounter. Read more>>
Michelle Latsu
I think everyone whether they like to believe it or not has some form of imposter syndrome when starting and running a business. It’s like one day you look up and you think how did I get here I really have a legitimate successful business and I’m in rooms or spaces or around other successful people that I never would’ve imagined. Read more>>
Ari Gold
I had a horrible experience of premiering a film, which had taken me three years to make, at Sundance. It was a midnight screening, and it started late, and after seven minutes, Harvey Weinstein drunkenly walked out. At the time, people cared what that horrible man thought, so I was then mocked online for his walk-out. I was treated as a failure all week – despite having made a film and gotten it into Sundance. Read more>>
Erin Bonnie
When I graduated from Berklee College of Music, my anxiety and feeling of being an imposter were at an all time high. I didn’t really know why I had ever decided to pack up my life back in Montana and move across the country to study songwriting and violin in Boston. My life out west was filled with joy and connection, family, friends, and a landscape unmatched by anything I’ve yet experienced. Read more>>
Dean Skinner
Quite honestly, I still battle it. And that “voice” of the enemy seems to be loudest just as I’m finishing a piece…which means I’m on the right path😉 Read more>>
Elizabeth Cobb
Throughout most of my adulthood, I have had a consistent Yoga practice that has provided a path for overcoming many obstacles in life, including imposter syndrome. Read more>>
Alayah Dudley
I am a Director of Hudson Dawn Publishing, an online publishing company based in Grand Rapids, MI. Read more>>
Leland Grant
When i figure this out i’ll let you know. My hope is that i continue to have peers and people surround me who are in my corner! Read more>>
Erin and Caroline
I really had to start paying attention and holding on to the words my clients were saying about me. The way I make them feel and the experiences they have with me. Imposter syndrome still comes up once in a while but now I am better at combating it! Read more>>
