Imposter Syndrome

Noun: the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.

Have you ever felt like a fraud or a phony? I have…

Throughout many aspects of my career there have been stages such as winning certain awards or simply just running the show where I have thought to myself, how did I even get here, why me? Do I deserve this, I am just a normal girl who seems to have created a successful business and gone on to do many other things such as judge awards, create publications for magazines, give talks to students and on stage to other owners and coach and consult for owners, investors and many entities in between.

Even now I have to remind myself that I bring valuable knowledge and experience to each and every client I speak with and have been in many positions that they are now facing and I know how to work through these and achieve the end goal however varied that may be.

There are many reasons imposter syndrome can become a thing, maybe due to family history or lack of self belief and perfectionism. It’s not something that will ever leave you entirely but it’s certainly something that you can learn to control and to nurture so the effects are lessened and you can move forward with strength and the belief that what you say and do and achieve are all valid.

When googled, imposter syndrome is recognised as the below points:

• Self-doubt.

• Undervaluing contributions.

• Attributing success to external factors.

• Sabotaging self-success.

• Setting unrealistic expectations.

• Continuous fear of not living up to expectations.

• Burnout

This for me highlights so many feelings I discuss with clients on a daily basis and it is important to remind each and every one of the successes they have already achieved and to look back and make note of these, where they are now, where they have come from and where they are going. The amount of expertise they have built over the years and the valuable lessons they have given to each and every person they meet both personally and professionally.