This is the year to kick the pesky imposter syndrome to the curb and move forward on your journey towards reaching your full potential. We hope the stories and lessons below will help you overcome self-doubt.
Angelli Nguyen
Every time I would sit down at my desk to reflect on my work, a gallery of hundreds of photos I’ve taken over the past few years glaring back at me, there’d be this ever-present sense of self-doubt. I’m a very anxious and worried person by nature, so it was easy to slip into the mindset that nothing I did was truly “good”. Read more>>
Kelsie Johnson
Imposter syndrome is such a common thing in photography. I don’t think anyone ever truly overcomes it. Everyone, myself included, always has a new goal to reach, a new skill they want to learn or prefect. Read more>>
Kierra Foster
Imposter syndrome has been a recurring theme throughout my journey, weaving its way into various chapters of my life. It manifests as a nagging doubt, whispering that perhaps I don’t truly deserve the fruits of my labor. Read more>>
Stephanie Rose
I haven’t. And I don’t think you ever completely do. It’s human to doubt and question. I believe it’s part of what drives us to do better–to be better. Every time I approach a project, the voice in my head asks “what makes you think you can do that?” Read more>>
Candice Zinner
I soaked up every bit of knowledge I could get my hands on, and for the stuff I couldn’t handle, I just passed it to the experts. I decided to make a brag book out of all my achievements and successes. It’s like my own little trophy cabinet! Read more>>
James Underwood
As a home inspector, I overcame imposter syndrome by focusing on continuous learning and professional development. I recognized that the field of home inspection is vast and constantly evolving, so I committed myself to staying updated on industry standards, regulations, and best practices. Read more>>
Oladimeji Ajegbile
I believe overcoming imposter syndrome is impossible because imposter syndrome is a high-quality problem that disproportionately affects high-achieving people who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments and question whether they’re deserving of accolades or praise due to them. Read more>>
MARIA BERNARD
This one is such a hard questioin that I constantly reflect on! It’s so easy to compare yourself/business with others who are in the same field/industry/lifestyle as you but what I come back to when I start feeling incapable or unworthy or lost is two things: 1. I remember that I need to protect my God given light and that I am made uniquely in God’s image with gifts and a purpose! Read more>>
Karen Wang
I haven’t yet overcome imposter syndrome– but here are some anecdotes and suggestions for pretending you have. I live through many life circumstances in a “fake it ’till you make it” manner. Even with my accolades, years of education, and development of soft skills, I frequently come face-to-face with self-doubt, worry, comparison, and other forms of self-sabotage. Read more>>
Colin Hughes
I don’t think anyone overcomes imposter syndrome so much as you learn to live with it and learn to find ways to let it help inform your decisions. There are certain people, many in the entrepreneurial space, who are seemingly immune to imposter syndrome, those that believe nothing bad can happen to them or that they are uniquely destined for greatness. Read more>>
Sabrina Costley
Imposter syndrome is something most creatives are all too familiar with. There were times when I first started I off as a makeup artist and photographer I would doubt my artistry and not showcase my work for the fear of not being “good enough.” Read more>>
Eddie Ervin
As a guitarist I constantly come across players that that are so good they make you want to quit and turn your guitar into a coffee table and it’s easy to feel inferior or like an “imposter” about to be exposed. To overcome imposter syndrome as a guitarist, I remind myself of my journey and the progress I’ve made. Read more>>
Emily Lenning
I overcame imposter syndrome through a lot of internal self-talk and understanding that expertise was highly sought after. I started my business when I was in my early twenties. I had never lead others when I jumped fully in to having employees and a full client load. Read more>>
Sonya and Amy
It certainly helps to run a business with a friend because we lift each other up everyday. We are still in early stages of our start up journey, so we always celebrate the small wins. We get one new follower on IG, win! We get a new lead for a potential client, win! One person bought something from our website, win! Read more>
Alyssa Cirocco
I don’t truly believe anyone ever actually overcomes imposter syndrome, but I do think you learn to check yourself when you start to think that way. Self-doubt is very normal. Whenever I really start to fall into the trap of imposter syndrome with my photography, I take a step back, look at some of the photos I’ve taken that I am most proud of, and ask myself, “If you didn’t know they were yours, would you be pleased to see them?” Read more>>
Steven Salvatore
The older I get, the more I believe that imposter syndrome is both something that can’t be “overcome” because it always exists–it’s simply a matter of self-recognition and understanding that you deserve a seat at the table and that we live in a society that wants us to believe we’re not good enough–and to that end, everyone suffers from imposter syndrome, though some mask it more easily due to their own ego. Read more>>
Damir Mukimov
Dealing with imposter syndrome has been quite the ride for me. Honestly, I’ve always been the camera guy – you know, the one who captures those perfect moments and emotions, making everything look just right. Read more>>
Bob Wheeler
For years I felt i was just really lucky. I’d land on my feet and things would work out but I knew it was just luck. I wasn’t the smartest. I didn’t think I wasn’t the quickest. I was just lucky that I put in lots of effort and was lucky that things worked out with clients. Read more>>
Patty Najar
Imposter syndrome is definitely something that I feel is very big in the beauty industry, especially with the rides of social media. You are constantly seeing post about what you should be doing and what you shouldn’t be doing and how things should look and how they shouldn’t look. Read more>>
Jillian O’Neill
Although this may sound counterintuitive, asking questions helps overcome imposter syndrome. The more you inquire, the more you realize rarely do people have a quick answer, and if they do, they are so often willing to share. So it’s a win-win! Read more>>
Elisha Divinity Weatherton
Well….I don’t know that I have overcome imposter syndrome, as much as I have learned to know when it’s rearing its ugly head, and remind myself who I really am. I identify with a few imposter types so the conversation depends on which one, or all, show up in my mind. Read more>>
Tracey Barski
I think it would be misleading to say I’ve overcome my imposter syndrome, but I still feel that it’s something I can speak to. It’s is such a universal thing, and it has always helped me to know that almost everyone suffers from it on occasion. Read more>>
Holly Baker
When I was in 7th grade, I decided to try to do hurdles in track. I was terrified, but how hard could it be? What scared me the most was everyone else’s reactions. All my friends said, they couldn’t do that. Then they painted this horrible picture of all the ways to injury yourself. Read more>>
Lisa Vance
In medicine there is a certain amount of confidence that you do need to exude to your patients. Afterall, how are we going to gain their trust, right? But I think the most important advice I was given was, “if you truly don’t know the answer to something, don’t make it up or pretend to know…simply say, ‘You know, I’m not sure, but I will look at that up for you!’” Read more>>
Monèt Johnson
I like to always reference my zodiac sign when addressing feelings of imposter syndrome. Virgos are known for wanting perfection in their work and overthinking their progress when double checking for errors. Read more>>
Ralph Havens
This feeling of being less than others was something that started early in life of course. Yet despite feeling less than, I still somehow knew I could do big things. I’m not sure where that came from. So I went to a big university, Texas A&M and then went to the Houston medical center and became a physical therapist and somehow had the gumption to move to San Diego with my then girlfriend and play in the big city. Read more>>
Dena Leone
I’ve noticed how easy it is to get caught up in the content we consume across various channels. It’s easy it get overwhelmed by the talent we see on YouTube, Instagram, across the web, and in real life. The best solution I’ve found is to create. Read more>>
Valeska Cosci
I think I struggled with imposter syndrome well before I knew there was a label for it. There were many firsts in my life from a very young age: fist generation Nicaragua-American, eldest daughter of immigrants, first to attend college and first to branch out in the professional work world. Read more>>
Diane West
Imposter syndrome, that nagging voice whispering “you’re not good enough,” can be a powerful thief of joy and accomplishment. Often, the urge to fight back can manifest as outward displays of confidence, a facade that can feel empty and exhausting. Read more>>
Jessica Tolar
My first year of college, I was on the University of Texas Rowing Team. The team was led by Coach Caroline King and she did not mess around when it came to fitness. I showed up for my first evening practice and was shocked to hear that before we rowed, Coach King wanted us to run a mile around the lake for a “warm-up”. Read more>>
Elizabeth Vallejo
I think we also suffer from imposter syndrome, and that’s a lot of the work that I do with my clients and the way that I’ve learned to deal with it is through affirmations. Read more>>
Adanna Bernard
Embracing the present has been my journey. Raised in an environment where strictness reigned, I was constantly pressed towards an unattainable ideal of perfection. Every minor mistake I made was met with harsh criticism. Read more>>
Kristiane Webb
Imposter syndrome is actually something a lot of my counseling clients come to me with as a consistent struggle in their life, and as a millennial trying to find a healthy balance in her career I can definitely relate. Read more>>
Allison Bush
Imposter syndrome has always been a battle for me. It has taken almost a decade of photography experience and a little more than five years of being the breadwinner as a full time freelance photographer to allow it to settle into me that I am truly a photographer. Read more>>
Ashley Herd
I realized that everyone has something that they can do, that feels easier and more enjoyable to them than it does others. When you find out what that is, others will look to you for that and believe you’re an expert. Read more>>
Bri Stokes
Prior to finding the courage to share my writing and creativity publicly, imposter syndrome was something I struggled with for years. Even today, I still find myself navigating through it from time to time, searching for new ways to quiet my inner critic. Read more>>
Tiffany Grimm Fulton
Imposter syndrome isn’t a term I relate to very well. I remember someone once offering me the advice “fake it till you make it.” But it never sat well with me. I never felt that “faking” it was the way through. I knew I had power inside of me and in my perspective, it was less about faking it and more about uncovering my true sovereign nature. Read more>>
Stephanie Chu
Overcoming imposter syndrome isn’t about eradicating it entirely; rather, it’s about how I choose to interpret my fears and persistently move towards my goals and commitments. My journey with imposter syndrome started with a significant lack of confidence, especially as I considered changing careers. Read more>>
L.A. Dollz
The L.A. Dollz are an all female, high energy, multi-instrumentalist power group that plays all of your favorite hits through the decades. We cover top 40’s rock, pop, alternative, emo and more, from the 60’s til now, but we do everything with our own twist! Read more>>
Renee Johnson
Among the topics provided, I would like to focus on the theme of “Overcoming Challenges.” One particular challenge that significantly impacted my life and career was navigating through a breakup during a challenging season in my professional journey, which led to a period of depression. Read more>>
Shannon Herren
I’ve struggled with imposter syndrome throughout my entire career. It stems from my insecurities, trauma, and the ridiculous pressure I put on myself to be successful and not disappoint anyone. In result, it also triggers depression. Read more>>
Laura Klopfenstein
Imposter syndrome is never completely “defeated” – it comes and goes each time we expand and push ourselves into new territory I have to remind myself that I can’t control what other people think. I might as well just do what feels inherently right, at the pace that feels right, and accept that sometimes I’m gonna fumble through and other times I’m gonna be smooth and flowing. Read more>>
Jamie Simoni
Impost syndrome is something all business owners seem to struggle with at some point. When we launched this business, we jumped right into building pieces and designing setups and backdrops which built our confidence early on. Read more>>
Ray Duncan
Well, to be completely honest, I haven’t. –But what I have done, is I’ve developed some mindfulness tools to help me through the times when self doubt has me feeling stuck. Imposter syndrome and self-doubt are companions that have ridden side by side with me for most of the journey, and I have learned to see them as friends, who in their way, only have my best interests at heart. Read more>>
Hanna Morris
Imposter syndrome is common for anyone starting out in a new position! In my field, it is sometimes easy to fall prey to this feeling because many do not know exactly what occupational therapy is, or understand the unique value occupational therapists bring to their clients. Read more>>
Tristan Young
So many artists experience this but recognizing your achievements, focusing on your strengths, and understanding that everyone experiences self-doubt are key. I try to set realistic goals for myself, seek feedback, and remind myself that it’s okay not to know everything. Read more>>
