Meet Amna Shabbir, MD

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amna Shabbir, MD. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amna below.

Hi Dr. Shabbir, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

How did you overcome imposter syndrome?

For much of my life, I carried intense impostor feelings. It often felt like I was one step away from being exposed,like someone would eventually realize I didn’t belong in the rooms I was in. That fear created a constant undercurrent of anxiety. I coped by overpreparing, rehearsing every possible scenario, and always bracing for something to go wrong.
As I moved through school, medical training, academia, and now entrepreneurship, those feelings didn’t go away. They just evolved. A few years ago, I had a moment of clarity: I was continuing to feel like an impostor because I was constantly growing. I kept stretching into new stages of leadership and purpose. Of course I felt out of place,it was unfamiliar terrain.
That’s when I decided to get curious about what this “syndrome” really meant for me. I took a closer look at the patterns, the roots, and the mindset I had built around it.
Here’s what I did:

1. I Changed the Language I Used
For starters, I quit calling it a “syndrome” and started referring to it as the original psychiatrists Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes in the late 1970s had – as a “phenomenon”. It’s not a diagnosis or something that shows up on lab work. Our words matter.

2. I Normalized the Experience and Looked at the Context
I came to understand that what I was feeling wasn’t strange at all. In fact, it’s incredibly common among high achievers, especially women and people from underrepresented backgrounds. When you’re the only one in the room, or the youngest, or the one who doesn’t fit the traditional mold, it’s easy to question whether you truly belong. Over time, I realized my feelings weren’t a reflection of my capabilities, they were a response to the environment I was in. That shift helped me stop internalizing the doubt and start seeing it as a completely understandable reaction to the context.

3. I Identified the Root: Perfectionism
The deeper I dug, the more I saw that the real driver behind my impostor feelings was perfectionism. I had internalized the idea that being successful meant never needing help, never making mistakes, and always knowing the answer. When I fell short of those unrealistic standards, I didn’t just feel disappointed,I felt fraudulent. I began to redefine success not as flawlessness, but as the ability to keep showing up, keep learning, and keep growing.

4. I Took Action Before I Felt Ready
One of the most powerful lessons I learned is that confidence doesn’t come first, action does. I used to wait until I felt completely ready before taking the leap. Showing up, even when you’re uncertain, is what actually builds confidence.

5. I Held Onto the Wisdom of Others
There’s one quote I return to often, from Maya Angelou:

“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”

Even she felt like an impostor sometimes. And she still kept writing. That gave me permission to keep showing up, too.

I also love these words by Brené Brown

“Don’t walk through the world looking for evidence that you don’t belong, because you will always find it. Don’t walk through the world looking for evidence that you’re not enough, because you’ll always find it. Our worth and our belonging are not negotiated with other people; we carry those inside of our hearts.”

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I empower high achievers to create sustainable well-being without sacrificing their ambition, impact, or identity. As a physician, integrative performance and well-being strategist, and professional speaker, my work centers on helping individuals and organizations address the root causes of burnout, perfectionism, and over-functioning.

What makes this work meaningful is that it’s not just professional, it’s deeply personal. I know what it feels like to appear successful on the outside while struggling quietly within. That’s why I focus on helping people redefine success on their own terms, grounded in clarity, compassion, and courage.

My approach is grounded in evidence-based training and advanced credentials. I trained at the Cleveland Clinic and Duke University, and I am a Dual Board-Certified Physician, a Master Certified Life Coach, and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, trained through Duke Integrative Medicine.

Here’s how I support individuals and organizations (offered both remotely and in person):

– Keynote Speaking on perfectionism, integrative performance and well-being, leadership, and redefining success

– Workshops & Trainings that support sustainable performance, emotional wellness, and courageous leadership

– Personal Coaching & Consulting for high achievers and performers to create sustainable well-being without sacrificing their goals.

– Podcast Hosting: Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir, MD, exploring the intersection of ambition and well-being

– Upcoming Book on perfectionism and its impact on individuals and organizations

I’m also honored to be a featured speaker at TEDx Raleigh 2025, where I’ll be sharing a talk on unmasking perfectionism and what we can do to thrive.

If there’s one thing I want people to know, it’s this: you can do meaningful work in the world without abandoning yourself in the process.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Self-Awareness and Reflection
With the help of my personal coaches, I developed the ability to deepen and expand my self-awareness. I’ve always loved reading about positive psychology and personal development since my early teenage years, but it wasn’t until I started working with experienced, certified coaches that I began to see my blind spots and recognize the limiting beliefs holding me back.

The first step to creating a confident life is slowing down. Pausing long enough to notice how we think, how we talk to ourselves, and how we relate to the world around us. That’s why cultivating self-awareness is always the starting point in my work with clients, whether in group or one-on-one settings. It’s the foundation for lasting growth.

2. Boundaries Are the Cornerstone of Success
Our time on earth is finite, and when I truly internalized that truth, it changed everything. That awareness of my own mortality helped me understand that boundaries aren’t just helpful, they’re essential to both growth and well-being. One of my favorite quotes is from Prentis Hemphill: “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.”

I help my clients build culturally appropriate, personalized boundaries they can actually use—without guilt, shame, or fear of backlash. I always encourage people to define their boundaries across four areas: time, energy, focus, and digital space.

3. Self-Compassion Is Critical for Success
My inner critic was loud for years. When I finally started practicing self-compassion, it was uncomfortable and unfamiliar—but necessary. At the time, I was exhausted and burnt out, even experiencing physical symptoms of stress. I had to stop berating myself and learn how to become my own ally.

This work didn’t happen overnight. It took time, but it’s been one of the most transformative parts of my journey. Discovering the work of Dr. Kristin Neff was revolutionary for me. Self-compassion has radically improved my ability to lead, to grow, and to heal. If you’re reading this, I invite you to try something simple but powerful: talk to yourself the way you would speak to someone you love.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Absolutely. I want to invite everyone to examine their relationship with success, and in particular, how perfectionism might be shaping that relationship. So often, we think of perfectionism as a personal flaw, but it’s also a social pattern. It’s reinforced by culture, systems, expectations, and the environments we navigate. When left unexamined, it can quietly shape how we lead, how we connect, and how we define our worth.

As a dual board-certified physician and integrative performance and well-being strategist, I combine physical and mental performance optimization to support high achievers and high performers in creating meaningful, sustainable success.

I’m especially interested in collaborating with:

– Organizations and leaders focused on workplace well-being, human-centered leadership, and high-performance cultures

– Researchers, storytellers, and creative thinkers exploring themes of perfectionism, identity, and success from bold and compassionate perspectives

– Mission-driven brands, media platforms, or initiatives looking to challenge old narratives around achievement, performance, mental health, parenting, women empowerment and what it means to truly thrive

If this resonates with you, I’d love to connect. You can reach me through my website or connect on LinkedIn, or Instagram.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.amnashabbir.md
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.AmnaShabbir
• Other: https://dramnashabbir.transistor.fm/episodes

Image Credits

Nisa Cengiz

Delmas Cooper