We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julian Lindsay. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julian below.
Hi Julian, 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.
Interestingly enough, this phrase still rings alarms when it comes to mind. To be honest, I struggled with numerous bouts with identity, feeling unworthy and lack of self-confidence and it deeply effected how I saw myself in the world. From relationships being broken, tarnished, to opportunities lost and thwarted I was my own worst enemy. I remember vividly walking into certain rooms and opportunities, shrinking psychologically because I just didn’t think I belonged there. Playing small at times, provided me temporary comfort, in addition, dealing with an over analytical brain robbed me time and time again. What sucks later is finding out that others viewed you as a giant the entire time, when you could only see yourself as grasshopper.
Oh, but what a teacher life is, and enough experiences stockpiled, forced me to seek a new identity. To tackle imposter syndrome, there were recent years I spent in isolation challenging who I was mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Mentally, why do I think the way I do about myself and is it healthy or getting me further? Emotionally, ok… I feel this way in the moment but are these “feelings” or “feeling” valid for me to act upon? Physically, if you want to look better and eat healthier Julian, clean up your diet and hit the gym. Most importantly, spiritually, what better way to find out who I really am by the one who created me and what God will reveal to me, about me. Depending on the individual, some can overcome this thief of opportunity in lesser time. As for me, I had to take a deeper dive and bring along grace and patience, but the process was well worth the wait and struggle.
Having embarked on a season of self-reflection, putting tools to action, helped redefine who I was and gave new revelation to how I need to show up. Beating imposter syndrome into submission is ongoing fight and I can confidently say I’m no longer giving up my power when I walk into given spaces. Like any muscle, you must work it, for it to grow. Keep showing up.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Thank you and I appreciate you for having me, first and foremost. As an up-and-coming actor for film and television and an entrepreneur, all what I do is centered around helping, encouraging and engaging others.
The enchanting art of storytelling got it hooks in me as far back as I can remember as a child; locking myself in a room for hours playing, living out storylines created with action figure toys and random objects found throughout my home. Growing up in a world rich in history, race, politics, religion, societal norms raised a lot of questions I had early on and still have today. My main focus for film has always been to engage and create purposeful. thought-provoking dialogue with others, exploring and sometimes challenging perspectives. It’s like running a case study on an audience but more so to learn and ascertain more about world, the people in it and how they think. Within the recent year, I have worked on several independent films that are set to debut soon, ranging from African American history, Post Apocalyptic, to a project centered around the exploration of grief. Stay Tuned!
Off camera, my history and affinity for health & fitness, has brought about trustful and meaningful relationships through my business as a massage therapist. The primary focus for my clientele is geared towards their physical and emotional wellbeing; activating healthier lifestyle choices and habits. From treating clients to partnering with companies for wellness events, have been fulfilling ways for me to bring about healing, restoration and relaxation to communities throughout LA County. Feel free to visit my website for further info.
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?
Having Faith:
Believing without tangible evidence, is the first and most important pillar of skill one needs in his or her arsenal when stepping out into any venture. Absolutely nothing will happen for you if you don’t believe what’s attainable. Without faith what’s the point of striving for a thing? As a firm believer rooted in Christian faith, there’s a passage in the Bible which states “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17 NIV). To be honest there have been many times where I doubted and just couldn’t grasp the idea of me winning. Looking in hindsight, it wasn’t because I wasn’t talented, had the right connections, smart enough for the job…my belief wasn’t strong enough. It’s understood that we are merely human, while doubt, fear and anxiousness is ever present, but the cheat code is to LEAD with faith. Imagine driving a car headed to a destination, as long as you have your faith steering, it is upon you to silence those backseat drivers.
Maintaining Focus:
Distractions are literally everywhere, and it doesn’t take much for some to fall victim. As for me, distractions would include my cellphone, TV and the biggest of them all FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) yes…ouch. It’s true and I know many can relate. It takes a great deal of mental fortitude to block out distractions from what seems satisfying in the moment to focus on what’s necessary. Have you ever indulged in a distraction only to find yourself later regretting doing so? The consequence wasn’t worth the risk and having repeatedly losing focus cost me numerous times. Be cautious because distractions can dress up as attractive reasons such as ‘you need a break’ or “just go hangout and get it done later”…scrolling on social media. Take the time and really think of ways to enhance your focus and yes, you may have to get a little aggressive to do so. Perhaps setting up a schedule to hang out with friends, watch TV, placing your phone on ‘do not disturb’ for a given period of time, could be advantageous to keeping the main thing, the main thing. Being unfocused is a breeding ground for bad habits, which is why it’s imperative to exercise your focus routinely, in order to operate at an optimum level.
Exercising Patience:
The dreadful “P” word that many can’t stand to hear when it comes to the pursuit of dreams, objectives and expectations. Took me awhile but soon realized that not only being patient in but falling in love with the process, was the real reward. Having been so concerned with getting to the end of a thing, it’s daunting to think how much life we can miss in between. Over time I came to understand that it’s societal norms, peer pressure, the media and the environments that we grew up in, telling us that we should be further along. Then we adopt these false expectations and ideologies as our own and end with microwaveable worth of accomplishments, only to end up damaged. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line but rarely is that the case when it comes to life itself; there are twist and turns, mountaintops and valleys. The beauty of all is the developmental process you undergo where you gain knowledge, better character, and a stronger skillset to prepare you for what you’ve been striving for. Nothing fast is built to last but when something’s strong, it took long.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
They believed in me, enough said. From the sacrifices to the constant encouragement, there wasn’t a time that I can remember where they discouraged me from my dreams. My folks always wanted the best for me even if it wasn’t what they thought was the best for me. The freedom and love they gave was a firm foundation and a springboard for me to dive into the next. Not to mention, growing up with two parents in the home, which is an exception in the black community, deserves celebration. As an adult black man in America, I remind myself of how blessed I am to come from such a home and to have parents, together, who were involved in my life. From the time I learned to walk and put two sentences together they instilled core values in me and cultivated a healthy environment to grow up in. Yes, I had setbacks growing up and pitfalls like everyone does, but they made it their job to encourage, protect and challenge me the best they could. Anything I told them I set out to do, they were right behind me with the upmost support. I honor them to the fullest extent and they’re a huge part of who I am today and all the success I have along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://escapeto-massage.com
- Instagram: @iamjulianl
- Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm7109935?s=9ac9d02d-271e-c6cc-05aa-9febcfd6f11a&site_preference=normal
Image Credits
IRIS UNLTD Photography
James Reese Photography
ONE | A Potter’s House Church
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
