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.
Hannah Gill
Overcoming impostor syndrome was a transformative journey rooted in self-belief. As a female graphic designer in the competitive landscape of California, I found myself grappling with doubts about my abilities and whether I truly belonged. Read more>>
Madeleine Blossom
I had to find a way to quiet that voice telling me that I couldn’t do it. I would look in a mirror and tell myself all the reasons I am qualified, all the reasons why I deserve the be in the room my imposter syndrome tells me I shouldn’t even be able to open the door to. Read more>>
Tennille Wood
My feelings of inferiority were never around interior design skills and talent, but always thoughts that I didn’t know how to run a business. I joined multiple business coaching groups and each time I found that I had already solved the problems that my peers were facing; I was “ahead” of them on my business skills. Read more>>
Alice Sandahl
Overcoming imposter syndrome has been an ongoing task for me. When I started to see it as a way that was anti self-love, it helped me shift that feeling internally. By not acknowledging my expertise and accomplishments, I wasn’t celebrating myself and my talents and this didn’t feel like caring for myself very well. Read more>>
Aditi Sobti
I don’t think I ever overcome imposter syndrome. It comes and goes and the pressure of “Will I make good work again?” always stays. Sometimes it helps to go through my old work and see the kind of progress I have made. Read more>>
Kevin Korte
During my career, I made two very significant transitions. At 25, I went from being a project manager at a German Company Univention to building their US operations. Thus, I was suddenly in charge of acquiring customers and managing employees. Most of the employees had more years of experience than me. Read more>>
Lauren Pothier
Imposter syndrome comes with the territory of being a woman in any leadership position. As a teacher I feel it constantly, as a founding member of my theatre company, I absolutely feel it. I am always asking myself: Read more>>
Jenny Calabro
This is such a great question! To be honest, I feel like I never truly have “overcome” imposter syndrome, haha! But you know what? That’s totally ok, because I believe that imposter syndrome is normal for everyone and it is not something we should feel ashamed of or feel pressured to overcome. Read more>>
Emily Cox
As a performer, I initially learned to overcome imposter syndrome by sitting on the other side of the audition table! In 2015, I was asked to direct several productions here in Chicago. Up to this point, I had only directed a few projects during my time in graduate school. Read more>>
Nicolle Lamb
The term “Imposter Syndrome” was coined in 1978 by two female psychologists. Over the years, it has gained momentum as one of the main questions in every interview, conference, and forum we hold for women. Read more>>
Janet Estrada
I didn’t. I still have it all the time. Sometimes I wake up and have to convince myself to get out of bed and keep it all together. I’ve sat down with clients and the first thing I hear is the voice in my head (I call her Negative Nancy): “You can’t help this person, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” It’s an ongoing narrative that never goes away. Read more>>
Aziza Brown
My strategy for overcoming imposter syndrome is to envision a post-apocalyptic world, in which I have been chosen, within the last known community, to be in charge of that particular task or action. Read more>>
Wordplaii
I overcame imposter syndrome through brute force. Still to this day there is times where I deal with it, but I’ve learned to ignore the running mind and push forward. The more that I submerge myself in my craft, the more natural it feels. Read more>>
Tia Hopkins
I believe it’s important to strip imposter syndrome of its power. If we break down the two words and looks at their definitions, we can see imposter syndrome for what it is and begin the process of putting it in its place and not allowing it to negatively impact us or create mind chatter that detracts us from believing in ourselves, our capabilities, and our superpowers. Read more>>
Lillian Iacino
I don’t think you ever overcome imposter syndrome, it is something that comes and goes but you just have to learn how to manage it. It absolutely can get the best of you at times! I always try to bring myself back into the present moment and physically write down facts instead of only believing the thoughts in my head, Read more>>
Cierra Conerly-Sims
I never gave imposter syndrome the opportunity to even be in my world. I decided to not acknowledge imposter syndrome as a real psychological problem for myself. I wholeheartedly believe that we do not have imposter syndrome, we are just used to people telling us that we do. Read more>>
Genrey
Imposter syndrome is a journey I feel a lot of us go through. We tend to be our own worse critic, and building that trust within ourselves is no easy task. But even now, I can’t say I have completely overcome it, but what I can say is that I found that acknowledging my achievements and reminding myself of my skills and talents helped counter those negative thoughts. Read more>>
Marissa Nguyen
I’m working on it 😅. This is an ongoing battle that I struggle to overcome. When things are good they’re really good. When things are slow this ugly monster starts to rear its head. For example, if a market is going slow and I’m not making any sales and I perceive the people around me are making sales the self doubt REALLY starts to creep in…”omg. Read more>>
Willow Sanders
Being in the creative space, it truly is impossible not to be struck with imposter syndrome. Especially as a writer, and a romance writer, specifically, social media is a necessity for your business to survive. With that, you are inundated with daily reminders of all how you aren’t achieving or succeeding in the same way as others. Read more>>
Maya Sharfi
I started my first business—before the coaching company I run now—right out of graduate school. I was selling to people and leading people more than two decades senior to me, and I faced a lot of imposter syndrome. Read more>>
Enrique Garcia
I was true to myself when analyzing the effectiveness of the work I have done and the things that I have achieved, realizing it was my capability ant talent which lead me to them. Also, I listen to what other people say about my work, both good and bad reviews, to form a more realistic idea of the things I am doing and how I do them. Read more>>
Meliss Stapanowich
I’ve always been a late bloomer – often discovering my true calling after others have already settled into their respective niches. When I finally unearth where I feel I sho
uld be, I can come in very enthusiastically. This characteristic can prove advantageous, infusing fresh vitality into established environments. Read more>>
Amanda McGinley
Self-doubt can be paralyzing. What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t like my product? What if they don’t like my posts? These are all fears I’ve had and sometimes still have. I’ve learned to just put one foot in front of the other. Its ok if people don’t like me or my products but I still put myself out there. Read more>>
Raymond wright
Imposter syndrome can be challenging but you can overcome it by acknowledging your achievement,focusing on your strengths,seeking support from mentors or peers,and reminding yourself that its okay not to know everything,Also remember that everyone experiences self doubt at times and it doesn’t diminish your abilities. Read more>>
Jasmine Ruff
I still struggle with Imposter Syndrome. Just today I was texting my friends an update on what I had going on and said “not to brag”. One of them wrote back and said “Girl brag to me..” I don’t know why I try so hard to mellow things down when it comes to me. Read more>>
Austin Younger
To be completely honest, it’s an ongoing struggle, one that I might never fully overcome. But it helps when you realize that I’m not alone in the world. I’m not failing just because I don’t have my dream job yet; that doesn’t mean that I’m not still working towards my goal. Read more>>
Christopher Barker
I’ll start by saying that, for me, it is really easy to fall into the trap of feeling like an imposter when performing magic. “Hmm. That wasn’t as cool as I thought it would be.” Imposter. “No, that wasn’t my card.” Imposter. “You can’t do that card through the window thing I’ve seen before?” Imposter. Read more>>
Amanda Muhammad, MA
When I first launched my company as a full time entrepreneur I actually felt really confident and optimistic about my work. I just knew I was going to land a ton of contracts with schools. But it didn’t take long for me to learn the amount of red tape and barriers that came with the consulting industry. This came with an overwhelming feeling that I made a mistake and that I wasn’t supposed to be in the rooms or on the stages. Read more>>
