Full transparency, I’ve dealt with imposter syndrome on multiple occasions.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Loosely defined, imposter syndrome is feeling like you are not as good as someone else in the same industry or that you don’t measure up to be able to do your job. Imposter syndrome is another term I wasn't aware of until recently but I have felt it many times.
Social media doesn’t make it easy as you’re running your business. One day, you feel great about your business, you’ve got clients, you’re making some money, and setting your own hours. Then you’re scrolling through Instagram and boom…you’re reading about people who are younger than you talking about the cars they’ve bought and the houses they have, the trips they’ve taken all while doing the same thing as you. What are they doing that I’m not? How are they making that much money?
Another example: You come across a job opportunity for a dream client and you’re ready to apply. Then a feeling comes over you, I can’t possibly be good enough to work with this client. I know all the systems they need help with but I just started my business a year ago, I don’t have the experience they need. And you talk yourself out of applying for a dream opportunity that you are fully capable of doing.
Imposter syndrome can also creep into our personal lives. Social media is a huge proponent of this. How many times have you scrolled through social media and had some feelings of jealousy due to something an influencer posted? Though their post puts them in the best possible light, we don’t know what was going on behind the scenes. Their job is to make us envious of their “lifestyle” and little do we know, their “lifestyle” is usually just a post or video.
How to overcome it?
Now obviously, I’m no doctor or professional to be able to tell you how to overcome imposter syndrome. But I can tell you what I do to help me when I’m feeling inadequate. I remember that the clients that I have are awesome and they do appreciate what I can offer them. I may not have tons of clients or work with big box companies but I add value to small businesses and that’s exactly what I got into this industry to do. I also remember that all is not always like it seems on social media.
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