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.
Bridgett Nelson
I still remember attending virtual StokerCon in 2021. It was the first ‘convention’ I’d attended since becoming a writer. There were live panel screenings, pre-recorded readings, workshops, and virtual bars where you could see the faces of those attending and chat with them.
I felt so out of my league. At that point, I’d had two short stories in two separate anthologies, and absolutely nobody knew who I was. Compared to the others, in my mind, I’d accomplished nothing. I just wanted to hover and take everything in, but not actually participate. Read more>>
Mike Ganino
There’s this moment that’s etched into my mind—it was one of the first times I stepped into a high-stakes corporate gig as a speaker. I remember standing backstage, watching executives file in, clutching their coffees, flipping through slides on their phones. The little voice in my head whispered, “Why are you here? They’re smarter. They’ve got MBAs and decades of experience.” Read more>>
Jessica Harris
When I started in wedding and event planning, I worked for another firm where I was often made to feel like I couldn’t succeed on my own. I was told I wouldn’t be good at sales or able to attract my own clients. It was disheartening, but I began noticing patterns that helped me break free from that mindset. There were projects where my ideas were implemented and turned out great, and others where my suggestions were dismissed without explanation. This contrast helped me realize that my ideas weren’t wrong—they just weren’t what the firm wanted to do, and that was okay. I realized I could explore my own approach and find success doing things my way. Read more>>
Alexis Abdulraheem
Overcoming imposter syndrome was not an overnight journey for me—it was a process of unlearning, reframing, and rediscovering my own power. When I started Daring Daughters Inc., I wrestled with this overwhelming voice in my head telling me, ‘You’re not enough. Who are you to lead other women?’ That voice came from years of doubting myself and comparing my progress to others. But deep down, I knew my story mattered. Read more>>
Maomao Ding
Looking back at my journey, my experience with imposter syndrome really crystallized during my internship at Instagram. Despite having worked on various projects before, walking into Meta’s campus felt surreal – here I was, working on features that would impact millions of users globally. In meetings, I was surrounded by brilliant designers and engineers who had shaped the social media landscape. Initially, the weight of this responsibility felt overwhelming. Read more>>
Adriana (adry) Sanders
Overcoming imposter syndrome is an ongoing process that I approach with self-compassion and a deeper understanding of my unique story. As an adult child of immigrants, I grew up balancing cultural expectations, family dynamics, and the pressure to succeed in ways that sometimes made me feel like I wasn’t enough, no matter how much I achieved. Read more>>
Jt Rivers
Through sheer hunger to at least arrive on the path to be great. There comes a level where you say, “Okay, now I really am on my way”. And nobody’s perception of you can sway that. That’s in large part what the band is all about. Trying to shine hope into the lives of those that have become too comfortable apologizing for who they are or who they’re trying to become. We overcame imposter syndrome by reminding each other that it’s the journey and not the destination. Read more>>
M.l. Hamilton
Imposter syndrome is the bane of any writer. I still struggle with calling myself an author because of it. I wrote from the time I was in elementary school, even winning a contest, but after a difficult experience in a creative writing class in college, I stopped writing altogether for many years.
When I started again, I never allowed anyone else to see what I wrote, terrified that they would tell me it wasn’t good, and it would take something away from me that was integral to my identity as a human being. After my divorce in 1997, I knew I had to do something for myself, to separate myself from who I was as a mother and a wife. Read more>>
Kirsten Renee
I’m not going to say that I still don’t have moments of uncertainty in my journey. However, I am fortunate enough to be in community with people who never have a problem reminding me of my purpose and light. My friends and chosen family always speak so much life into me. I do a collective reading weekly at a yoga class in Atlanta and each week people tell me how important my words are to them. That fuels my fire, fills my cup up to the brim with love and affirming energy. Also, doing keeping up to date with my glamor magick and giving myself the grace and love I deserve. Read more>>
Stephanie Brown
Imposter syndrome is a B*****. Its such a false narrative that is so easy to believe. Living around Denver, the city is so saturated with insane talent in all departments. I could sit here all day and play the comparison game…and oh, trust me, I have. BUT, its also important to realize that everyone does things different, and theres plenty of room for everyone to succeed. Im so grateful to be surrounded by amazing people who always lift me up and cheer me on. Its easy to get lost in the comparison game, but important to remind yourself that you are deserving of the success that you have worked towards. Read more>>
Suleida & Naron Dubose
My name is Suleida, and my partner Naron and I have both faced the weight of imposter syndrome in different forms. My imposter syndrome was related to my time in law school. Law school has been a journey marked by challenges and growth. As a third-year law student, I can honestly say that the road has not been easy. Settling into this world felt foreign, especially as a minority in a field where we make up only four percent. Out of the one hundred thirty-five students in my class, there were just three Hispanic students, including myself. Read more>>
Jason Sherard
Imposter syndrome is so interesting to me-it is one topic that my sister and I talk about quite often when discussing our business ideas and projects. Imposter syndrome is the persistent feeling of self-doubt or inadequacy, people often feel like they are frauds by believing their success is driven by luck than actual talent and skill. For years I battled with imposter syndrome by overworking myself (literally stayed up countless nights to perfect something), I had a strong fear of failure because I didn’t want to let those down who have given outside support. So many factors played into it. I didn’t feel like I was good enough in certain areas and overly compared my business to my peers. To the outside world I looked like I had it all figured out and made no mistakes, but I struggled with keeping up on social media postings-it truly felt like I was irrelevant in the pool of business. Read more>>
Karena Neukirchner
For much of my life, I felt like I wasn’t enough—like I didn’t belong in the spaces I found myself. I carried this heavy weight of comparison, always finding myself lacking, and my inner critic was often harsh and relentless. That constant criticism didn’t just fuel imposter syndrome; it also left me feeling anxious and deeply unsettled in my own skin.
But something extraordinary has happened over the years. I now have the kindest relationship with myself—one filled with genuine love and appreciation. In fact, I have almost no inner critic anymore, which is incredibly mind-boggling to me! Read more>>
Rebekah Pierce
To be honest, I am still “overcoming” imposter syndrome. As a Black woman, we face this challenge to be what others want us to be (at the harm to self) or what they do NOT want us to be (loving self) every day of our lives in nearly all areas of our lives. It is both exhausting and dangerous to our wellness and wellbeing. For the past three years, I have put into practice mindset work, what I call “The Lemonade Mindset” (to believe it so that I can see it). I have come to learn that the mind is a creator of both destruction and life. What you think, the mouth speaks, the eyes search for, and the heart internalizes, so being mindful and intentional about what I let into my mind and what I let escape from my lips has been a daily – minute by minute, hour by hour – practice. Read more>>
Alexa Gold
As a female music producer who is mostly self-taught, it can be easy to doubt what you do and your place within the music industry, especially as a non-vocalist. I trusted my voice and lyrics and they carried me for years but music production was territory that I only explored as an observer, tentatively asking questions as I peered over someone else’s shoulder. When I first started making beats, I had no clue what I was doing, and it was liberating because there was no pressure to know anything – I was just having fun. But as soon as I let people hear my music, that’s when the small creeping doubts came in. You never know, and can’t control, how people will react to your art. Read more>>
Jordan Barton
I haven’t.
What I have done is find a way to quiet that voice, see the successes in the work I perform, the classes that I teach, and listen to comments and changes from clients and students. I listen to those moments and train myself to accept that there is a value to others in what I offer. Doubt can be a success tool. Without it, we may miss opportunities to grow. I consider it a distant cousin to failure in that one will fail many times, in many ways – and, odd as it may seem, feeling ‘inadequate’ can be a great motivator. That doubt can inform a part of how we learn. What we do next is what is important. Doubt is telling us something, so I acknowledge its voice and prove it wrong.
Listening to it can be the antidote. Hearing that negative voice but not Listening to it, allows me to keep moving forward. Read more>>
Shanita Blunt
“A drag queen with imposter syndrome? That’s hilarious, tell us another one!”
I get that a lot. In many ways, it can feel like being a glamorous superhero—by day, I’m in the office doing my thing, and by night, I’m fighting crime… but instead of literal villains, it’s the mental ones. I’m slaying lip-syncs, not just battling bad guys.
Like many people, I carry my phone around, and it’s full of messages, ads, and stories that somehow make me feel “less than.” The endless comparison game can be overwhelming—the picture-perfect lawns, the glamorous lives—and it’s hard not to feel like I’m missing something. Even after years of hard work, accolades, and recognition, the feeling of not being “enough” can still creep in.
There was a time when the goals I had felt so close and attainable. But after over a decade in my past career of advertising, that once-aspirational ceiling started to feel more like a busted-up drop ceiling—stale, low, and in need of a renovation. I found myself questioning the difference between the image I’ve built and the reality of where I was. What was the line between the performance I put on and who I really was? Read more>>
Erica Camp
Imposter syndrome has been a recurring theme in my journey as a designer and illustrator. It’s that lingering feeling of doubt, questioning if I’m good enough. But I’ve learned to manage it by reflecting on my progress. Looking back at old projects, I can clearly see how much my style has evolved, my ideas have sharpened, and my confidence has grown over time. Read more>>
Amy Rees
Do we ever truly overcome imposter syndrome? I think no matter how far you and your business have come, you will find that there is always someone you are comparing yourself to and thinking “I’m not THAT big (or important, or successful, etc)”. I also feel like this is more common in women than men. Especially in my generation. GenX women were raised in an era with stay home mom’s, schools that urged us to take Home Ec classes instead of Wood Shop and when we DID graduate college and go on to work, we watched men get promoted over us. So maybe it’s natural that we tend to question our value and worth in business. Read more>>
Zsuzsi Pal
Imposter syndrome is such a quirky little beast. It’s like trying to convince yourself that you don’t belong at the party, even when you clearly have a ticket! The truth is, some people breeze past this stage of self-doubt, while others, like myself, get weighed down by it.
For me, the turning point came with a simple realization: a massive chunk of the population is grappling with imposter syndrome in one way or another. Once I acknowledged that, I felt like I could take a deep breath and gradually let go of my own doubts. I had the experience; now I needed to be my own cheerleader. Read more>>
Anastasiya Arvest
Sometimes people with critical thinking feed the impostor syndrome. Did I sell my artwork because I deserved it or was I just lucky? Maybe other people will see that I’m not talented enough? Sometimes those thoughts can be really frustrating.
I can’t say that I’ve completely overcome impostor syndrome. But I’m glad that I’ve became friends with my inner critic. It helps me challenge myself: since I am interested in personal growth and development, it pushes me to new and unknown heights. There is a belief that impostor syndrome occurs as a result of you becoming more perfect in what you do. Read more>>
Janae Martin
I didn’t. LOL! Just kidding! Honestly, imposter syndrome is one of those annoying little things that likes to linger in the background. It’s always there in some way, so I’ve come to see it as a constant work in progress.
Over the years, I’ve learned that my real success isn’t about what others think—good or bad. It’s about how I feel inside. I check in with myself often, noticing what lifts my energy or brings it down, and I focus on staying in a good mental space. That’s been my biggest win. When I’m in control of my mindset, imposter syndrome doesn’t stand a chance! Read more>>
