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.
Cassandra Flores
The truth is that I don’t think I’ve fully overcome it — it’s something I’m still learning to navigate. But I have built a much healthier relationship with it. With time, I’ve become more conscious of when those thoughts show up, and I’m better at catching myself in the moment. Read More>>
Dr. Delon Omrow
As the only Associate Dean in the Faculty of Integrated Health and Community Care at Centennial College who is both male and a racialized minority, I’ve had occasional bouts of self-doubt and fear that I did not belong in certain spaces. My journey is one replete with examples of systemic bias, microaggressions, and underrepresentation in certain professional circles. Read More>>
Marcy Chicas
I spent years wrestling with imposter syndrome—and honestly, it still pops up now and then. The funny part? My breakthrough started with a Nickelodeon show. It reminded me that as an artist, the most important thing I can do is create with confidence. My choices, my voice, my vision are valid simply because they’re mine. Read More>>
Jasmine Wright
As a dynamic performer who has dabbled in all facets of the arts (acting, dancing, theatre, film, and television), there is often a sense of ‘why should this work out for me?’ when you are auditioning for a part and sometimes that feeling lingers even after you get the part. Read More>>
Dessiree Berry
For most of my life, imposter syndrome felt like a quiet shadow that followed me everywhere. From being the youngest in my high school and college classes to one of the only women in my neuroscience program. Read More>>
Reatta Hall
How I overcame imposter syndrome?’ I didn’t. I outgrew it. Imposter syndrome tried to whisper in rooms I built from scratch. It showed up dressed as doubt when I was drafting operating agreements, designing workflows, and negotiating contracts that would protect my empire. But here’s the truth: I didn’t have time to entertain a voice that hadn’t done the work. Read More>>
Julia Moyers
Imposter syndrome still whispers in my ear more than I’d like to admit. I still catch myself wondering, Am I good enough? Do I belong here? Am I as talented or capable as the next person? The comparison game is heavy, and most creatives I know feel that same weight. Read More>>
David Lewis
Well I wish I could say I fully overcame it. In reality I have to treat it like an old friend that is always with me. I try to practice gratitude every day which allows me to recognize how far I have come in my professional journey and how much I have learned. Read More>>
Lucia Lares
I don’t think it’s something that can be completely overcome. It’s something we live with throughout our lives as artists. What I have managed to do on occasion is to silence the voice that tells me I’m not good enough or that my work isn’t perfect and to keep going, creating new things despite all that. Read More>>
Allison Bray
I remember coming across an interview with Martha Stewart where she was asked if she ever experienced imposter syndrome. In essence, she said she never did, because whenever she reached a milestone, she knew she had earned it. That really stuck with me. Read More>>
Idris Veitch
Imposter syndrome definitely came up often, especially early in my career when I would often compare my work to others who who I followed on social media. One huge thing that helped me overcome this feeling was the mantra, “stay in your lane.” It reminded me to focus on my own growth instead of measuring myself to others. Read More>>
Jessica Javier
I’ve experienced imposter syndrome three times so far—each during a major transition in my life. The first was when I became a business owner at 24. I faced so many challenges being young, Asian, and a woman in business that it created a lot of self-doubt. Read More>>
Ulyana Hanov
For a long time, I never gave myself credit for anything I achieved. No matter what I did — from something simple to something that once felt impossible — it never felt like it counted. When I opened my own salon studio, people congratulated me. They said, “Wow, that’s huge!” But in my head, I thought, everyone can do that. It’s nothing special. Read More>>
Liza Talusan
Here is an interesting take – I don’t really believe in imposter syndrome. I know, people often have a strong reaction to that statement. Here’s why I don’t buy into it: ‘imposter syndrome’ makes it seem like there is something wrong with ‘me.’ It makes it seem like I’m just not confident enough or smart enough or strong enough. Read More>>
Shannon Nottoli
Honestly, I still have moments of it, but I’ve learned to see imposter syndrome as proof that I’m growing. I remind myself that I built this from the ground up — from a tiny space in a closet to owning my own salon — and that didn’t happen by accident. Confidence came with experience and trusting my own vision. Read More>>
Ellen Sizemore
The short answer is that I still haven’t, and it’s likely I may never fully kick it, but rather learn to quiet it a little. The real lie is thinking there are people out there who feel fully confident and comfortable in their own skin. That is the lie that keeps us stuck. Read More>>
Melisa & Irene
Imposter syndrome hit me hard when we first started The DM Duo. I remember looking at other agencies and thinking “Who are we to do this?” even while delivering amazing work. Read More>>
Andrew Lygo-Yarn
Being accepted to show my work at New York Fashion Week challenged me to overcome my imposter syndrome. I was given barely over a month to prepare. I did not have the time or money to make my ideal collection. My ideal collection would make everyone say ‘wow’. Somewhere in my mind I thought I could make something that would finally ‘prove my worth’. Read More>>
Mama Goddess
Thank you for this question: I was born and raised in organized religion. More specifically, C.O.G.I.C. (Church Of God In Christ). The epitome of imposter syndrome. Where you are told to deny yourself and be who the religion says you need to be. But I knew there had to be more to life than this. Read More>>
Jazmyn Miller-Gibbs
Imposter syndrome used to show up for me in all the quiet moments, right before presenting a design to a client or when I’d see other designers with bigger teams or flashier projects and start wondering if I was “doing enough.” What helped me overcome it wasn’t some overnight epiphany, but a gradual shift in how I defined success. Read More>>
Khalique Oliver
Overcoming imposter syndrome involves believing that you truly belong and consistently showing up wherever your tribe is. If you’re a hairstylist, attend as many hair events as you can. If you’re a photographer, participate in all the power shoots and artist events available. Remember, you belong because you do. Read More>>
Esther Milanzi
For most of my twenties and early thirties, I tried to be who I thought the world wanted me to be. Homecoming queen in undergrad, president of my sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the polished teacher, the perfect colleague, the dependable leader, the women’s bible study facilitator. On paper, I was accomplished. Read More>>
Nick DeSimone
I never did! And to be honest, you probably won’t either. This is just something that comes with being in the arts – “I am the coolest guy alive” and “I should sell all of my gear and flip burgers” are thoughts that exist in my head inside of an hour from each other regularly. Read More>>
Stacy O’Brien
First, I called a good friend who had already started her own private practice for nutrition counseling long before I was ready to start mine. She flat out said to me ‘you will make mistakes, but you’ll learn from it’ She was completely right! I think I needed that permission to not know everything I MIGHT need to know. Read More>>
Michelle Wetsch
To be honest I don’t think I’ve ever completely overcome it. She sneaks up here and there when I least expect it. Sometimes I’ll start an order and really have no idea how I’m going to decorate a cake. I’ll have a little panic attack but then once I actually push myself to get started it all typically just comes together perfectly. Read More>>
Ken Forbes aka ArtBoy
1. It’s important to do things to remember who the fuck you are. Every once in a while, it’s good to check in with yourself, almost out of body, and look and see who you have become. Use a journal, or talk to a friend and tell them the things that you have going on. You probably have more going on than you think. Read More>>
Kasey Shuler
I once heard it said that ‘action cures fear,’ and action also cures imposter syndrome. Think about it—if you write, are you a writer? If you create a website, are you a creator? If you run, are you a runner? Read More>>
Cristi Hernz
How did I overcome imposter syndrome? I realized I had truly overcome imposter syndrome during a trip to the Bahamas. While moving through immigration, I found myself in a moment that felt heavy, not because of anything dramatic, but because of how I was being perceived. It was a moment where I felt unseen, misunderstood, and energetically out of place. Read More>>
Luca Knibbs
During my first year or so working full-time in the creative industry, I’ve found that feeling of imposter syndrome isn’t exactly something that you can just get rid of; it’ll most likely follow me through the a large portion of my career. Read More>>
