Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and insights from phenomenal artists, creatives and entrepreneurs who’ve successfully managed to overcome imposter syndrome.
Lady Farley
I realized systemically that WOMEN were being treated as if we had patterned our success off of the strength of men. From the boardroom to our home office, I realized that I was the main catalyst for success! That opened my eyes and my mindset, Read more>>
Bobbie Christmas
From the time I was in high school I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t know how I could make a living with only words. Even my father discouraged me and said, “You can’t make a living as a writer. You need to find a career. I suppose my naysayers thought I wanted to write novels, in which case they were right. Read more>>
Rachael Weitz & Annie Davidson
Becoming a mother for the first time is a daunting experience. There are so many books, blogs and opinions on what to do and how to do it from what to eat to conceive to how to deliver your baby that your head is spinning by the time you are actually holding your first child. Not to mention the unsolicited advice from every stranger who passes you on the street. Read more>>
Anthony Rinaldi
I have always known about the term “imposter syndrome” but it was until recently that I truly embraced the meaning of the term and related it back to my own life. Many successful artists are cursed with imposter syndrome. It constantly makes us question whether our work is good enough. Read more>>
Daniella Batsheva
I think it’s important to discuss imposter syndrome because the fact is — I didn’t overcome it — and I’m not alone in that. Imposter syndrome is something that affects all my colleagues but it might actually be our secret weapon. It’s strange to spin a positive light on imposter syndrome, but that little nagging voice in your head that tells you you’re garbage? Read more>>
Alexis Baier
I am still struggling with this- but we all have to start somewhere! I really believe in the phrase “fake it til you make it.” Why should I feel less than or not worth it? I have every right to be here! It’s a continuing challenge that I have to face all the time. I sometimes don’t know what I am doing! Read more>>
Danielle Paulo
Honestly, when I first started Creative Haus, the whole “Am I even cut out for this?” thought was on repeat in my head. I mean, I went from styling celebs during fashion week to diving headfirst into the marketing world. Talk about a switch, right? Read more>>
christina kelly
I realized that if this many people think that im awesome, and i think im tricking them, than that is pretty bold to believe that i am smart enough to trick that many people and i probably am better than i think i am. I know where my imposter syndrome comes from and i remind myself that this is a consequence of trauma; just a symptom. This is not my identity and its an act of protest against the perpetrators to not allow it to take over and believe in myself. Read more>>
Risa Williams
In learning how to navigate my feelings of imposter syndrome, I really had to challenge the thoughts and beliefs I had about myself. I had to work a lot of my own self-talk, and learn to talk to myself in kinder ways. What I also found helpful was to track my progress on goals I was working on over long periods of time. Read more>>
Jévelle Holt
I found the best way to overcome imposter syndrome was to not compare my work with someone else and know that my gifts are specific to me. . Picasso is distinctive from Van Gogh; it’s all subjective. Read more>>
Ben Silberstein
I felt imposter syndrome while at my first corporate job at a certain point. I looked in the mirror and saw myself as wearing a costume, and what scared me so much was knowing that my heart wasn’t in it at all. In that instance, I did not overcome imposter syndrome. But once I had quit the job and was pursuing art full-time, I felt imposter syndrome again, but with very different symptoms. Read more>>
Zanna-Pearl Ngimukua
Two voices reside within, both equally valid. One echoes positivity, the other doubt. Neither is inherently right or wrong, yet one holds the truth. The choice is yours. Read more>>
Elise Garcia
I had to realize that someone will always be better than me at what I do, and someone will always have more experience than me in an area. So it’s not about me claiming to be the best at something, it’s just making it known that “hey! this is something I do and enjoy! and I run a business around it!” If they like what I’m putting out, they support my business and artwork and if they want to go somewhere else, they can do that freely. Read more>>
Sarai Shivana
Overcoming imposter syndrome was some thing I didn’t even know I had, and when I was able to understand what the meaning of it is, I realized it was lack of self-worth, and not giving myself enough credit, and also not facing the internal challenges, and making sure that I could work on myself and be vulnerable and understanding to go through personal hardships, professional hardships to really uncover what my integrity and self-worth is, and now that I value myself at such a higher level, it’s something to really be proud of and step out of that imposter syndrome, and know that I am meant for greatness And continue to work towards that ! Read more>>
Brittney Welch
Imposter syndrome is something we all face. As creatives, our main outlet for marketing our work is oftentimes Instagram or other social media platforms. Scrolling through countless talented photographers’ feeds can certainly exacerbate the desire to compare ourselves to our peers. Read more>>
Asim Nichols
Interestingly there was a time when I really didn’t think imposter syndrome was a thing. I thought it was just another way of describing lack of confidence. Well I consider myself a pretty confident person but when I started performing as a professional drummer I began to understand the difference between the two. Read more>>
Callie Cherry
Oof! Okay! I wouldn’t say that I have completely overcome imposter syndrome, but as I have fought it over the years, I have gathered more and more tools to keep fighting it. I started my photography business so afraid of the fact that photography is already such a saturated field, especially in the DFW area (where I’m located) and I kept asking myself, “What makes me so special that someone would choose me to be their photographer? Am I good enough?” Read more>>
Anthony Ortiz
I remember when I was first asked to be the new film curator for the SFS Film Festival for the City of Santa Fe Springs, I was blown away that someone saw the potential in me to helm an entire film festival. Of course I agreed to it, but there were countless moments where I asked myself; What the heck am I doing? Why me? Why did I sign up for this? What have I achieved? Do I really want to put myself out there this much? Read more>>
Imery Dunn
I don’t believe imposter syndrome is something that I’ve overcome. I look at it as more of an invitation to get to know myself on a deeper level. I”m becoming more comfortable embracing all aspects of myself, including the areas that aren’t so pleasant. That’s where imposter syndrome comes in. Read more>>
Chris Vanderhorst
It’s funny that Imposter Syndrome was on the list because it’s been on my mind so much lately. For years, I’ve thought of myself as someone who doesn’t really fit into the film community because I started later in life. I didn’t go to film school or have the connections that others had so I always undervalued myself. Read more>>
Heather Shannon
I remember being in supervision to get my clinical license so I could open my own private practice. It initially felt like I had to “be a therapist” and I would wonder how to do that exactly. What I realized eventually and through talking to my supervisor is that I was imagining that “being a therapist” was being another person. Read more>>
Cara-Michele Nether
Imposter syndrome, oh boy, where do I even begin? It’s been quite the companion on my journey, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce whenever I dare to dream big. Read more>>
Mike Penny
I’m not sure I’ve overcome it, or ever will, but I think staying grounded in my own truth and reality and realizing that other people’s ideas about me and their praise or criticism is not absolute truth has helped alleviate much of the pressure I’ve felt to live up to outside expectations. An interesting aspect of playing the Tsugaru shamisen as a non-Japanese person is that I have taken on an extra-musical role in presenting the history and culture of the instrument, which I take great care in so as not to misrepresent or appropriate that culture. Read more>>
Marcia Campos
This is funny because I just did an episode addressing how to deal with Imposter Syndrome as a person of color: Read more>>
Amanda Wan
I think imposter syndrome is something I will never fully “overcome”, as it’ll be a constant as my business and content grows, but I always try to remind myself that my journey is mine. Everyone that is on their own business journeys, is on their OWN – and we shouldn’t be comparing. I remind myself of all the success I’ve had and that it’s not a race. Read more>>
Dr. Manju Dawkins
Imposter syndrome and self doubt are inevitable parts of medicine and business… but one thing that we are all really good at is learning things. And we are naturally curious. Entrepreneurship is by definition uncharted territory – there is no one formula that works for every business. All I can do is my best. And stay true to myself and the vision-and I have to believe that will be enough. Read more>>
Dr. Brittany Soul Sharp
The scene is set, May of 2022, sitting on the floor of Thomas & Mack Events Center, surrounded by thousands of graduates. I felt as comfortable as a ________________. In fact, if the people that showed up for me unexpectedly had not taken pictures, I would have assumed we’d all been delusional. What only few knew is that I’d only found out I was invited to walk at this graduation a little more than a month prior. Read more>>
Redah
I would say that I am constantly working on myself to overcome the imposter syndrome.
As you know artists are particularly high sensitive individuals and most of us will have to keep fighting the imposter syndrome our whole life. Now it doesn’t mean that we are constantly in its cycle and suffering. Read more>>
Michael Sasaki
Growing up as a competitive figure skater, caring about what people thought of me became as second nature as breathing. How could it not be? I mean, taking place center ice in front of thousands of people and being judged for every move I make on a thin piece of metal in four little minutes that I trained years for? Read more>>
Triana Akila
Being in the music industry, I found imposter syndrome around what felt like every corner. I told myself that I wasn’t skilled enough, experienced enough, determined enough. But then I put myself in rooms with both peers and veterans and I gave a true evaluation. I belonged in the room! I’ve put in the time, I’ve honed my skill, and now is my time! Read more>>
Sara Gentry
When I first considered becoming a book coach, imposter syndrome was a big problem for me. I didn’t have the typical background for someone working in a writing-related field. While having a Ph.D. in Applied and Interdisciplinary Mathematics might have sounded impressive, I didn’t think writers would trust me to help them with their books. Read more>>
SunDej
I believe that overcoming impostor syndrome is a lifelong journey, because even when you overcome imposter syndrome in one area of your life, it can still show up in another area of your life. I’d say that step one for me was getting clear and specific about what I wanted to achieve. Second was recognizing the limiting beliefs that were replaying in my subconscious mind, keeping me away from that specific outcome. Read more>>
Camrie Lucey
This is definitely something that I have struggled with in the past. I don’t think this is something that anyone fully overcomes. I recently moved from LA to Nashville. I made the decision to move because I felt like there was more opportunity for me here. Being surrounded by Artists pursuing music just as hard as you are and feeling a sense that every one of them seems to be better than you. Read more>>
Tatiana Dumitru
Imposter syndrome is something I’ve encountered at different points in my career. Despite receiving consistently positive feedback from clients and earning exceptional reviews, there have been moments when self-doubt crept in. Read more>>
Anna Livermore
Imposter syndrome, to me, is something I hope to never overcome. It means to me I am stretching myself further than I think I can go. I love to do things that scare me, that make me feel uncomfortable, like I do not belong, I feel imposter syndrome all the time but one if the first times I can remember was when I was speaking at FIT for a program they had put together for designers. Read more>>
Zach Meyer
I have never fully overcome imposter syndrome; I still struggle with it. In a way, it’s helpful to my artistic process. It pushes me to get better for fear of not being good enough. On the other hand, it can be unhealthy. I sometimes make significant strides in my career and don’t take the time to appreciate them, feeling that my artwork is never good enough. Read more>>
Paras Borgohain
I can’t quite claim that I’ve overcome the impostor syndrome with certainty, but like all other ailments (I suppose) you learn to manage the condition. Read more>>
Jacquelyn Schreiber
The process of producing and recording my first full-length album, “Flown,” enabled me to overcome imposter syndrome. It’s ironic since I initially started this project with the intention of recording a single pop song, titled “Better,” as a singer/songwriter. However, a series of unforeseeable events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, led me to explore new musical possibilities and techniques, which ultimately resulted in a full-length album, a new title as music producer, and the death of imposter syndrome. Read more>>
Ieesha Naeema
Conquering imposter syndrome has long been a personal challenge, particularly in my creative career. My lack of an art degree made me question my eligibility for various artistic opportunities, leading to a string of rejections from art grants, competitions, and more. Seeing my artistic peers succeed would ignite a desire to prove my worth, only to be met with self-doubt when opportunities came knocking. Read more>>
phil crosby jr
I was always shy as a young man and never comfortable with being reminded of how famous a man my paternal grandfather was. After all, just being born wasn’t anything to be praised for and it’s always been something of a mixed bag or double edged sword. You’re either considered just lucky like someone who won some kind of lottery or the benefactor of nepotism and actually possibly considered unworthy of things you’ve accomplished. Read more>>
Joshua McBride
I feel like most creatives experience imposter syndrome. It’s so easy to feel like you don’t belong in any creative situation if you listen to that little nagging voice in your head that tells you that you aren’t good enough to be there. For me that voice has been a constant in all of my creative endeavors, specifically music. Read more>>
Lisa Cumes
When I first got started as a copywriter, I struggled because I didn’t have formal training. I wasn’t quite sure what copywriting was, and did a poor job pitching it to clients. But, when I did get to work on a project, I always knocked it out of the park, clients were amazed and grateful that their messaging was finally clear, simple, and kind. Read more>>
David Howe
I definitely struggled with imposter syndrome when I started my alternative media career. If that’s what we want to call it? Read more>>
Shana Fontaine
I overcame imposter syndrome though spiritual guidance and very deep self reflection. I meditate and listen to daily affirmations to consistently stay in the mindset of worthiness and appreciation. I love to capture and chronicalize moments of my life to help remind me of where I was versus where I am now and that always makes me feel proud. Read more>>
