6 Effective Strategies for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
“Your blood was sent to help a patient at Partner Center. THANK YOU! We’re excited to see where you save a life next!”
That’s what the text I received said.
A week earlier I donated blood at a local blood drive. I try to do so at least once a quarter.
Now I’m sure you’re probably wondering what donating blood has to do with imposter syndrome, so let me set the stage for you.
That week was particularly rough. It was one of those weeks where there just wasn’t enough time on any given day. I wasn’t seeing much engagement with my audience. I was generally feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.
It was one of those times when the voices running through my head were saying: “Who are you to be trying to do this?” “What makes you think anyone will listen to you?
Have you been ever been there? Not a great place, to be honest.
Merriam-Webster defines imposter syndrome as “a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one’s ongoing success.”
To break this down in layman’s terms, examples of imposter syndrome include:
Self-doubt - Imposter syndrome can make entrepreneurs doubt their abilities and second-guess their decisions. This can impact your confidence and affect your ability to lead and make decisions in your business.
Fear of failure - Business owners experiencing imposter syndrome may feel more afraid of failure than others. You may think that any failure or setback confirms your feelings of not being good enough.
Comparison to others - This is definitely a syndrome of imposter syndrome that most entrepreneurs can relate to. We have a tendency to compare ourselves to our competitors without consideration of how long they’ve been on their journey or other factors.
Everyone’s susceptible to imposter syndrome but I think sometimes entrepreneurs, like us, get an extra dose on a more regular basis.
The good news is that there are ways you can overcome imposter syndrome.
Here are some methods I’ve used when I find myself struggling with imposter syndrome.
Recognize your accomplishments - Take time to recognize your wins, even the small ones, and all the hard work that went into achieving them. This can help you see that you are earning your success.
Reframe your thoughts - Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Whenever you say something negative to yourself replace your thought with a reminder of what you have accomplished.
Seek support - Talk to friends, family or a therapist about your feelings of imposter syndrome. They can provide a different perspective and help you see that you are not alone in your struggles.
Embrace failure - Failure is a natural part of entrepreneurship. Not everything you try will work. Instead of viewing these steps as failures, embrace them as lessons needed and an opportunity to grow and learn.
Focus on your goals - Keep your focus on your goals and the steps you need to achieve. Focus on persisting through the actions needed to achieve your goals. Remember a lot of little steps can create major movement.
Celebrate your successes - Take time to celebrate your wins, no matter how small they may be. This helps boost your confidence and reminds you of how far you have already come.
By recognizing your accomplishments, reframing your thoughts, seeking support, embracing failure, focusing on your goals and celebrating your wins, you can overcome imposter syndrome and run your business with confidence.
When I read that text about my donation it was like a weight lifted off of me. I had been having a rough week but the text was the reminder I needed to remember why I set out to start the business to begin with - helping others achieve their goals and dreams.
Maybe I didn’t accomplish as much as I had intended and my engagement with my audience wasn’t where I wanted it to be. But if I was able to serve, inspire or help just one person, it was definitely worth the frustration.
It’s these kinds of moments I cling to when feeling like I’m not doing enough or I’m not good enough to run my own business.
Imposter syndrome can be a challenge but it’s not insurmountable. Find those successes that you, too, can hold as a reminder when you’re struggling or feeling overwhelmed.
While these are some ideas for overcoming imposter syndrome, obviously this list isn’t all-encompassing.
DM me on Instagram (@aynsli_co) and let me know what works for you when you face your challenges and have doubts.