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.
Shonna Roberts
Is it imposter syndrome or is it self examination? The little voice in your head telling you “you’re not good enough, you don’t belong”. I don’t know that I’ve really truly overcome what some people refer to as Imposter Syndrome but what I have done is change the way I view the term and embrace self examination. I know I’m good enough and I know I belong but it’s ok to think “was that good enough, could I have done better and how can I make myself feel more confident in my surroundings”. Read more>>
Heidi Knauss
To be honest, I haven’t. In fact, I often still feel like an imposter. I started my business without any specific experience in how to run one, and I’ve realized the myth that everyone in your field knows what they’re doing all the time. Shocker–they don’t. I use to think (hope) that one day I’d stop feeling like an imposter, but now I have a different perspective. For me, it’s not about eliminating imposter syndrome but about embracing discomfort and continuing to build my skills. I’m learning to be confident in what I know, stay curious about what I don’t, and to take action even when I feel uncertain. Read more>>
Alfonso Tan
Overcoming imposter syndrome hasn’t been easy, and it continues to find its way back into my life on occasion. After several years as a DJ, however, I have found a few helpful ways to deal with it: 1. Speaking ‘it’ into existence. When I first started DJ’ing, I told people that I was just “mixing songs together.” I did this because I didn’t feel like I was a real DJ, even after recording a few mixes and playing a few sets to small audiences. Some friends that saw my passion for it encouraged me to stop doing this. Once I started saying I was a DJ and introducing myself as one, it helped me gain confidence in it being factual. The confidence helped me take it more seriously, which led to more progress, more gigs, and more growth. It’s fascinating how powerful saying “I am” can be. Read more>>
Lela Roy
I don’t know if it’s possible to fully get over imposter syndrome. I think somewhere inside all of us, we know that what we do in our careers and how we present in the world isn’t truly what defines us. I think what helps me is recognizing that we all don’t know what the heck we’re doing with our lives or what the heck we’re doing here. We’re all just wearing costumes, we’re all just making it all up as we go. Some people are just better at wearing the costume and playing the role. This isn’t to say that some people don’t have real skills and experience, but even if one has real skills it doesn’t exclude you from feeling like you’re still not good enough. Read more>>
Jess Goodkey
Imposter syndrome is something many of us face – no matter how old or seasoned we are! Personally speaking, I don’t think it ever leaves us but I have found a few effective ways that worked for me to help manage it in order to keep moving forward confidently. Read more>>
Emilie Scarchilli
I’ll be completely honest here and say that, for me, overcoming impostor syndrome is a work in progress. When I look at the big picture and try to stack myself up against all the other creatives in my community, I tend to downplay my own gifts and skills. However, when I celebrate small victories, I become more certain of my abilities. I may not have accomplished as much as others, but I’ve learned to tell myself that my gifts are valuable. The books I publish bring delight and joy, encouragement and hope, to many people. My status as a small self-publishing press is immaterial as long as I can help others through my work. When that happens, I know that I”m not an impostor, but my own unique person. Read more>>
Dawn Gregg
I am the sibling of an actor who received global attention at a young age. Being a supporting player in the narrative that swept our family off its feet and changed the trajectory of our lives, has come with so many blessings and some challenges. For each of us affected by the whirlwind, some scars too. As an adult, I can look back at my younger self and understand that the one stand out time I can remember having “stage fright” was most likely due to me knowing that any moves I made in the acting field were being scrutinized under a microscope of comparison. I remember choking on one line of dialogue in again and again…in front of a live sit-com audience! After that paralyzing experience, I never had trouble again. Read more>>
Bonnie Patterson
After a horrible experience in my life of becoming an alcoholic, drug addict, full of remorse and guilt, did I decide to reach out for help. After a lot of work and perseverance I started to become more and more confident and comfortable in myself and my ability to do whatever it is I put my mind to. After a couple different career choices that I wasn’t very happy with I decided to follow my passion for baking, and gift boxes, it’s literally my escape! I kept receiving praise and compliments, people telling me I should sell them (I was thinking no way, no one would want to buy from me) never even thinking I would ever become or be capable of becoming a business owner of something that was my creative passion. Read more>>
Noelia Soto
From the moment I understood that we are all beings constantly learning how to navigate our passions, the thought of “maybe I shouldn’t do this because I’m not talented enough” felt pointless. From my first art show to the first time I spoke at a film festival, I’ve found myself in situations where, for a few seconds, I question whether I deserve to be there. But I always try to embrace the experience, give myself grace, and remind myself that if an opportunity has been presented to me, there’s a reason for it. This helps me let go of the thought that I may lack the talent or ability to be there. Read more>>
Rachael Harms Mahlandt
Hi! My name is Rachael and I have an interactive community project in my yard. Stop by my house and you’ll find a dinosaur diorama, a dinosaur exchange (think Little Free Library but instead of swapping books, you swap dinos), an informational installation called the Bee Stop, two more dioramas, a tiny as well as a micro little free library and more! I also facilitate, spotlight, and promote other spots like this both in my city of Portland, Oregon as well as worldwide! My friend and I co-created a map to all the Portland spots and have hosted workshops, shared supplies, connected likeminded folks to help this movement spread. Read more>>
Nanthawat Jiranuwatana
After I learned when to say “I don’t know actually… let’s find out together!” I started shedding my Imposter Syndrome. I believe it’s a valuable skill to admit when you don’t have the answer, as it opens the door to learning and helps you move forward; additionally, I find that people relate to and bond with me more when we figure things out together on the spot. This approach makes me feel less panicked, and I’ve noticed that others respond positively and are understanding. No one has ever been dissatisfied with me saying “I don’t know actually… let’s find out together!” yet. Read more>>
Tierney Robb
I wouldn’t say I’ve completely conquered imposter syndrome, but I’ve definitely gotten better at quieting that voice in my head that whispers, “You’re not good enough.” Being in a field where there’s no standard for a resume- no degree for “content creation” or “brand partnerships”—can be intimidating. We’ve all gotten to this public space on the internet from insanely different backgrounds and skill sets. So comparing myself to other creators is like trying to compare apples to oranges; it just doesn’t make sense! Read more>>
