You know this day is coming. You’re a fraud and suddenly everyone knows it. Frankly, I don’t know how you’ve managed to get away with this for so long. You put yourself out there like you know important things. But you don’t, do you?
What makes you think you can go for that job, challenge Pete in a meeting, give that keynote, write that paper.? It’s embarrassing. If people weren’t quite so polite they’d have told you.
Take a look around you. All those experts – they really know their stuff. They’ve read the books – hell, they’ve written them!
You’d be doing us all a favour if you’d pipe down. Pack up your papers and quietly leave the meeting. They didn’t mean to invite you anyway.
Imposter Syndrome. A corrosive experience. Part of a vicious cycle, cause and effect building upon one another till you’re frozen.
Some people feel it when considering applying for new roles, others when presenting to very senior audiences, others just speaking up in meetings.
It feels so real but isn’t. Most high achievers suffer from it from time to time, so if you do too, you’re in good company.
The good news is that you can get rid of most of it most of the time. Hurray!
