How to Beat Imposter Syndrome When Thinking About Changing Careers.

"Will I be able to do this?", "I think I need to study for it first," "I don't think I have the right cv." I often hear similar questions and concerns when talking to clients about their career dreams in my coaching practice. Even though they have years of experience, a natural capacity for problem-solving, a hunger for knowledge, and no problems with learning new things, these bright, creative souls feel like they're not good enough to pursue what they truly want in their careers.

It's not uncommon. I've suffered from impostor syndrome my entire life. I still do, even though it's much better than it used to be. Perhaps you've experienced this too. Many of us feel insecure when thinking about changing careers. We doubt our abilities and are scared of failing at something that we don't know how to do yet. Some of this fear is a natural part of the process of change. Stepping into the unknown is always a little scary. It gets tricky when fear becomes a more pervasive, debilitating feeling of insecurity and lack of confidence. That's when imposter syndrome can set in. When this happens, we need to take a step back and reassess the situation because what stops us from changing careers is not a real lack of capabilities but imagined shortcomings.

What is impostor syndrome?

Impostor Syndrome is a phenomenon where we feel like impostors or frauds despite having achieved success. It's an internal experience of intellectual phoniness, an incapacity to internalize our accomplishments and all the goals we have already achieved. We second-guess ourselves, worry that people will soon find out that we're not good at what we say we are, that we're just frauds waiting to be discovered. People with impostor syndrome often attribute their successes to luck rather than skill, talent, or hard work. Impostor syndrome is more prevalent among women, but men experience it too. Recent studies show that it hits minority groups harder.

Impostor syndrome can cause feelings of fear, anxiety, and even depression if left unchecked. In my practice, I see how it stops many talented creatives and entrepreneurs from going after what they truly want. Some will go to great length in order to avoid “being found out”, like saying no to interesting opportunities or promotions. Instead of allowing themselves to explore their dreams, they stick to what's safe and familiar. Even then, they feel it's only a matter of time before they'll be found out.

Where does impostor syndrome come from?

Impostor Syndrome has much to do with the messages we grew up with and our internalized beliefs about ourselves. When we make significant changes in our lives, these negative messages can resurface as fear, doubt, and insecurity. It's possible that somewhere in our past, someone made us feel like we weren't good enough or capable of succeeding at something new.

Another reason we suffer from impostor syndrome is that we compare ourselves to others and think their success is the result of innate talent rather than the hard work they've put in. This can lead to a feeling of inadequacy, especially if we believe that others have it all figured out and don't suffer from the same stress and anxiety that we suffer from. They do, and they struggle just as much with impostor syndrome and all the feelings of self-doubt that come along with it.

There's nothing wrong with feeling scared or insecure when taking on something new, but you don't have to believe those negative thoughts that come with it. Instead, focus on the skills and experience you have and the exciting opportunities available to you. The most important thing is to recognize it for what it is: a feeling, not necessarily reality.

Another thing that I heard about impostor syndrome recently comes from Shahroo Izadi. In an interview with Steven Bartlett for The Diary of a CEO podcast, she had an exciting idea about where impostor syndrome comes from.

Shahroo is an anti-diet advocate and someone who has overcome an eating disorder and works with people suffering from addictions. People with mental illness, addiction, or an eating disorder have a lot of shame and guilt about their behavior. Because of this, it's difficult for them to acknowledge their professional accomplishments because many feel ashamed about so many other things that they won't allow themselves to internalize their capacities.

I want to extrapolate that based on what I see in my practice and the many stories from my own life and that of my clients. We all have things we're ashamed of and feel guilty about; it might be something we're doing - or thinking (and this is important) when nobody's watching, we all have secrets about who we truly think we are. And we’re absolutely terrified of people finding out!

We carry these secrets with us everywhere, and sometimes even if on a superficial level, we've achieved a lot, and everything looks great. Inside, it's hard for us to accept our successes because of these inner feelings of guilt and shame.

What's the impact of impostor syndrome on your career?

Impostor Syndrome can significantly impact your career. It can make you doubt yourself and prevent you from taking risks or trying new things. You might feel like you're not qualified for the job, that someone else could do it better than you, or that people will soon find out that you're not good at what you do.

On the other end of that spectrum, impostor syndrome can also force you to uphold the highest standards for yourself, to suffer from perfectionism, and to deliver more than is expected of you consistently. This, too, will be detrimental to your career success because it's unsustainable in the long term and because by being so perfect, you're making yourself indispensable in the position you're in. If there's one thing I know about career advancement is that you have to make yourself replaceable to be promoted, not irreplaceable.

How to beat imposter syndrome when you want to change careers?

The first step is recognizing what impostor syndrome looks like in your life. Are you an overachiever? A perfectionist with impossible standards to achieve? Ask yourself: What thoughts am I having? Are they coming from a place of self-doubt or fear? What do I need to feel confident and empowered to make this transition?

Once you have identified the root problems, start challenging those thoughts. Acknowledge your accomplishments and successes, even if they seem minor. Take inventory of your skills and experience. Think about the past jobs or projects you've completed, and list what knowledge or skills were gained from them. You may have more transferable skills than you think! Focus on what makes you unique and different from others in the field - anything from foreign language proficiency to specialized technical expertise.

Talk to a trusted friend, mentor, or coach about what you're going through and get their perspective and advice. You don't need to doubt yourself alone; it's one of the reasons the impostor syndrome has so much power over us because we don't share about it enough! Be proactive and reach out for help; it could be the push you need to make the career transition.

Finally, take small steps toward your career goals. Try to do only a little at once - break it down into manageable tasks on which you can start taking action right away. Make sure you celebrate each milestone and reward yourself after completing each task. It's important to recognize and celebrate your progress; this will build your confidence and make it easier to take more risks and move forward with your career.

Start beating impostor syndrome right now.

One thing that I advise all my clients to keep is a "brag list." Since most of them suffer from impostor syndrome or feel like they're not good enough, this simple exercise isn't easy. It might be challenging for you too. On a piece of paper or a note on your computer or smartphone, make a list of all your accomplishments, big or small. Keep the list up to date by adding anything you achieve throughout your days and weeks, no matter how small.

You must list everything you've done. It could be anything from standing up for yourself, getting noticed during a meeting because you spoke up, talking about your business idea to someone, volunteering in the community, mastering a new skill or hobby, etc. Whenever impostor syndrome creeps in and doubts start to swirl around in your head, take a look at your list and remind yourself of all the success you've achieved. Celebrate these wins, and remember that you can keep achieving greatness!

Impostor Syndrome is a widespread experience. So many talented and capable people suffer from it, but it doesn't need to hold you back from changing careers or achieving your goals. You've got this! Good luck!

Tired of feeling like a fraud at work?

I understand the fear and anxiety you experience trying to figure out your career options. That’s why I offer private coaching specifically tailored to those who want to make a shift in their professional life. As a certified coach, I'm an expert in helping people beat imposter syndrome, build confidence and take control of their lives.

You deserve to pursue something that brings you satisfaction and happiness without feeling overwhelmed by self-doubt. Through this one-on-one coaching experience, gain access to tailored strategies and personalized advice that will give you the confidence needed to step into your dream job. No more second guessing yourself or comparing yourself to others!

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The Imposter Syndrome: Perhaps it's About Authenticity, not Accomplishments

Do you ever feel like a fraud? Not so much because you think someone will find out that you're not skilled or capable enough to do the job, but instead because you don't want to be there. Is your impostor complex the result of a lack of fire, inspiration, or passion for the job or career you have more than a reflection of your perceived lack of accomplishments?

If this sounds familiar, I've got news for you. Your imposter feelings might result from a sense of inauthenticity you experience when others reflect your life to you and have nothing to do with a lack of self-worth.

This type of impostor syndrome is something I see many multi-passionate creatives struggle with in my coaching practice. Because variety is essential to them, and not enough of it quickly causes them to feel bored or uninspired, many mainstream jobs or careers can leave them feeling a bit icky, as if something's missing. When someone comments on how extraordinary their career or job is, for instance, they can't help but feel like they're not truthful - like they are frauds.

The problem is a lack of meaning

This feeling like a fraud may result from feeling uninspired to show up in their day-to-day life. Perhaps you're familiar with it. While there are a million things that would be more interesting to do than your current job, when people look at you, a job well done it's the only thing they see. On the other hand, you feel it's a job half-assed at best because there's just no soul or love put into it. And this is precisely the problem.

Multi-passionate creatives, or creative generalists, as I like to call us, need more than money and variety to be happy. Above all else, we need a sense of purpose in our lives.

Any lustrous, high-paying job that doesn't feed our soul is a recipe for disaster. And I'm not even talking about the brain-numbing, useless, low-paying jobs that keep many of us stuck.

It's not always about accomplishments

Don't get me wrong, impostor syndrome is a real and potentially dangerous thing for your career and dreams. Especially as women, we have this tendency not to feel good enough and question our abilities. And in many cases, as I wrote about here, it's our accomplishments we question.

As multi-passionate creatives, however, we add another level of complexity to an already tricky mindset puzzle: authenticity, a fundamental value for many of us and one that is inextricably tied to our sense of purpose.

When you add authenticity into the mix, feeling like an impostor is not just about accomplishments as a reflection of what you're capable of but also - and more profoundly - accomplishments as a reflection of who you are.

A multi-passionate creative imposter syndrome can happen when you are in a place where you don't feel comfortable. Regardless of how many successes you have or how much experience, if it's not the right fit for your personality style and skill set, that impostor syndrome is going to rear its ugly head.

Authenticity is a necessity

So perhaps we have it wrong when we think it's about our accolades and all that we've accomplished. Maybe that's not always what we feel like impostors about; perhaps it's because we know we don't belong or that we won't be able to keep the façade up for long enough to make it.

It's liberating to know that our imposter feelings don't come from a place of low self-esteem or not being good enough. Because they're coming from the opposite: they're telling us what we need to feel satisfied and happy. If there isn't an element of satisfaction, it's because we're not living in alignment with who we are.

If you feel like you're not where you want to be in life, it might be a sign that it's time to realign your life with who you are.

To us humans, authenticity is a necessity, not a choice. Without the space to be who we are, live up to our full potential, and express ourselves in our unique way, this lack will eventually manifest itself and force us into (often unhealthy) coping strategies. It's bad enough when this happens sometimes, but imagine the damage this can do when having to experience this in a job or career daily...

Your feelings are normal

When forced to accept situations that aren't aligned with who we are, especially for more extended periods, we find ways to deal with them as best as we can. This adaptability is a natural defense mechanism from our bodies and brains. Throughout history, it's done a fantastic job at helping us cope with the many adversities of life. However, in the present, where toxic stress runs amok, and our bodies or minds don't get to escape it like they used to, it can make us sick.

For some, the coping strategy might be to disconnect from themselves and their wants. For others, this might look like depression or mental health issues. Still, for others, it might be distractions, addictions, an inability to focus, inability to get any decent work done, or feeling like an impostor.

Perhaps it's not about what you're lacking but about dreaming bigger for yourself. You deserve a job or career that feels right and inspires you every day - a life where you wake up happy to be alive. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not a great advisor, and certainly not someone who knows what (multi-passionate) creatives and entrepreneurial minds need to thrive.

Don't let your unique gifts keep you stuck. Don't be afraid to admit you dread boredom and need a job or career that inspires you.

Don't be afraid to live your one big, authentic life!

Are you suffering from impostor syndrome?

I'm here to help you get unstuck. You know that feeling of not moving forward in your career or job because it doesn't feel right? That's the problem I help my clients solve.

It's time to start living your life, doing what you love, and making money from it too! Let me show you how my private coaching sessions are tailored specifically for multi-passionate and creative entrepreneurs looking for guidance on starting or growing their businesses.

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Self-trust: a Way to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

Are you a multi-talented, creative person suffering from anxious, incessant mind chatter? Doubting yourself by saying, ‘you’re going to mess up!’, ‘are you *sure* that’s right?’ or (my favorite) ‘one day you’ll get caught, and everyone will know you’re just a mess!’

That inner voice isn’t an alien phenomenon, but a side effect of being unable to internalize your achievements, aka ‘Impostor Syndrome’.

Do you easily dismiss your intelligence as luck or fraud? Here’s why you shouldn’t…

Impostor syndrome isn’t unique to women, though we experience it more. We’re also not the only ones who experience it. In fact, about 70% of humans do. But we, the creative, multi-talented, high-achievers experience heightened ‘intellectual phoniness’ more often. We find ways to downplay our talents, or struggle with getting caught as imposters, despite proof of our achievements. This internalized fear leads to a cycle – the slightest criticism is *proof* of our incompetence despite our capabilities, and undeniable evidence of our successes.

How many degrees do you have? Distinctions? Praises? Professional recognition? Courses and trainings you’ve undertaken? *Not enough* would be my guess, at least not according to you!

Having imposter syndrome means trying to work with crippling perfectionism, over-preparation, and a tendency to keep yourself small or people-please, while lacking self-esteem to freely share your opinions and safeguard your boundaries.

The truth is – in Tanya Geisler’s words (expert on the Impostor Complex): actual impostors don’t feel like impostors.

From Tanya (who I’ve had the pleasure to attend a talk by on this very subject a few years ago) I also learned that all these traits – perfectionism, people-pleasing, keeping yourself small, etc… – are not always bad. They’re part of our evolution as humans. We want, and need to belong. So depending on the environment we live in they can be life savers.

Issues arise, though, when these behaviors show up to *avoid* feeling like an impostor. When that happens, feeling like a fraud actually gets amplified.   

What are the elements of impostor syndrome?

In my life, the impostor syndrome manifested most (and still does sometimes) by telling me I’m a fraud, that I have nothing interesting to say or that I don’t know what I’m talking about. This, paired with the fear of saying something wrong, is the perfect cocktail to keep myself small, take on the opinion of others, people-please and procrastinate. I mean, why would I even try? If I do they’ll find out I’m worthless… The problem is, deep inside I know I have something to contribute.

The impostor syndrome shows up when things matter.

Have you ever feared being found out for how you do the dishes, put on your shoes in the morning, read a book? I haven’t. The impostor syndrome shows up when the opinion of others about your abilities becomes important to you. If you don’t care, *it* doesn’t care.

The way the impostor syndrome manifests in your life will be different to how it manifests in mine, but there are a number of situations in which it’s almost certain to show up:

• Change – Change is constant. It’s the foundation of all things, what allows us to create our own reality, and evolve as humans. It’s also one of the triggers of the impostor syndrome. When trying something new – often at work – or going after our dreams in general, when facing a difficult situation, especially in a higher position, we’re bound to encounter change in how things are done. The impostor syndrome doesn’t like that. At all. That’s why it makes us believe that anyone else who is successful *doesn’t* experience the feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, uncertainty that we’re plagued with when facing change.

• Fear – Achievement always makes us visible. This makes it impossible to protect ourselves from the judgement of others. (Even if we’d love to do that more than anything else.) The potential of being *found out* feels catastrophic to anyone dealing with the impostor syndrome. This translates into fear. The biggest issue – again – is that we believe we’re not good enough. That we’re not ready or don’t have what it takes. “What if I take this job, and I can’t do it?” or “What if I start this project, and I get stuck?” are some of the questions my clients deal with on a daily basis.

• Failure – The conditional nature of society, that credits worth and success to high-achievement, also creates anxiety and doubt. Not achieving exemplary results is associated with incompetence and failure, even when this isn’t the case. You might find it difficult to try new things because of fear of failure, especially if you struggle with the impostor syndrome.

Can we overcome impostor syndrome? If so, how do we get started?

The good news is that, yes, there are ways to learn to recognize, and move passed the impostor syndrome. I’ll get into that in a minute. First, I want to address an important aspect of our culture that I believe influences women (more than men) when it comes to feeling like a fraud: patriarchy and the role we’re meant to play in it.

The patriarchal, white, capitalist culture we live in makes women perform a gender role that is vulnerable to the impostor syndrome. Conditioning primes us for not taking credit for our successes, for being sweet and humble, not too proud of who we are, for staying small, not being too loud, and certainly not wanting too much. Far from the best conditions to teach us how to internalize our achievements, it actually feeds the impostor syndrome the nutrients it needs to grow.

In a way, the impostor syndrome is a symptom of the systemic oppression that patriarchy imposes on us. It’s predominance in work environments where highly qualified women are driven to achieve doesn’t come as a surprise. That’s where the capitalist, patriarchal ethos of endless growth, and success without failure is most present.

Overcoming impostor syndrome can therefore never be achieved without liberation from our cultural programming: we must stop trying to be what we’re not, and instead get absolutely clear about who we are, and what we believe in.

We must cultivate self-trust.

Acceptance of what is, allowing mistakes, trusting that everything will be OK are all part of the awakening process we must go through.

Being a high-achiever, you might not always embrace imperfection. In fact, if you’re anything like me, chances are you passionately hate it. What I’ve learned is that making mistakes, falling, getting back up, and dusting yourself off, learning and moving forward is all there is.

Perfection.
The moment you’ll finally be good enough.
Waiting until you’re ready.
Succeeding without years of practice, perseverance and shit happening while you’re trying.

None of it is real.

In order to be approved of, and loved, you don’t need to achieve anything. What you need is waking up to the fact that you’re good enough right here, right now. Nobody’s going to find you out, because there’s NOTHING to find out.

If you step into the fullness of who you are, what the world will see is more of your greatness.

It all starts with cultivating self-trust by questioning what you believe about the world, and your place in it. Is what you’re telling yourself *really* true? Are you really the fraud you think you are? Once you’ve come to the inevitable conclusion that, no, you’re not a fraud, and, yes, you’re very capable, a world of endless possibilities will open up for you.

Trust yourself. You’ve got this.

Is destination addiction keeping you from achieving your goals?

Many of us – especially multi-passionate, talented, creative makers and doers – feel we can only allow ourselves to be happy after we’ve ticked off our major goals, bucket and to-do lists. We think that we’ll only be truly happy when we reach that important milestone, get recognized for our work or finally achieve every goal on our list. The problem with this *after* thinking is that it leaves us perpetually aiming for more. Even if we achieve a big goal, the feelings of pride and accomplishment last only for a little while before they fade. Afterwards, we’re right back where we started: dissatisfied until we’ve achieved the next goal.

As a coach to multi-passionate, creative women I know the idea of happiness for many of my clients is always in the future. Never in the present moment. Throughout their lives they’ve accumulated many interests and projects, most of which they started but didn’t finish or never even got to in the first place. Someday is what I hear most often when asking about their dreams.

The truth is: us multi-passionates have a peculiar relationship with time.

Although the present moment is all we think we have, we often forget that *now* is all the time there is. (I know, but bare with me for a minute.)

We all have big goals and plans, right? Often we start a project or decide to go after one of our dreams. Before we know it, the enthusiasm that made us so passionate in the beginning is gone. Why?

It all just seems too far away.

That’s when many goals and dreams. We resign ourselves to the status quo, our responsibilities and the whimsy hope that things will (magically) work out later. This all-or-nothing thinking is what keeps us moving forward. We don’t see how every single day we could pull our dreams into our present moment, little by little. How *now* is all the time we really have.

But that’s when we actually start something. Oftentimes we don’t even get to that point. We may have many creative ideas and paths we want to take but because of fear of failing, aversion to criticism or worry of making the wrong choice, we sit on our ideas and plans, never getting around to do anything about them. This now-or-nothing thinking is an obstacle to achieving our dreams. We fail to see the sea of time we have to accomplish what we want.

“Destination Addiction” was first coined by Dr. Robert Holden, a British psychologist. He referred to it as a state of mind that holds the idea that happiness and success are destinations we arrive at, instead of experiences we have along the journey of accomplishing our goals. Because of the high expectations we have of when we’ll get there, we often fail to enjoy the journey. Society has programmed many of us to think in a linear way, where we expect one major milestone to occur after the other. We go to school, get a job, get married, have kids, retire then die, living as though happiness was to be found at the arrival of each one of these stages of our lives.

This is often not the case.

There is no inherent happiness in arriving at these milestones or achieving our goals. The feelings we believe these achievements will bring us are ones we can feel right here and now.

As multi-passionate women, we have to constantly remind ourselves of this, that joy and happiness are not rewards for a job well done but a state of mind we can bring into our lives right now. The more we do this, the faster we’ll feel whole, accomplished, and in the presence of our goals.

All we have for sure is how we decide to feel today. The late Dr. Wayne Dyer once said, “Life’s what’s happening to you, when you’re busy making other plans.” In other words, it’s good to plan for the future and have goals to work towards (I mean, duh!), but it’s important to remember that life is not put on hold until you achieve these things. Or that you can have some of those things in your life right now, before you believe you’ve accomplished them!

If you suffer from destination addiction, here’s three things I’ve found to help:

#1 Keep a list of your daily accomplishments

Break up with destination addiction by celebrating yourself everyday. Acknowledge the effort you’re making. When we’re on a journey towards change, a part of what keeps us motivated is remembering the steps we’ve already taken. Instead of beating yourself up over not being *there* yet, acknowledge how far you’ve come instead.

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#2 Remind yourself of the goals you’ve already achieved

It’s great to hold steadfast to our vision and goals, but we must also take the time to be grateful for where we are in life and how far we’ve come from. It’s easy to get so tied up in what we’ve not accomplished yet or what we don’t have, that we lose sight of all our past goals and dreams that are now part of our reality. With destination addiction it’s easy to dismiss those dreams as “oh, well, that’s nothing. Yes, sure, I did that. But that was easy, this here – the new goal – is what matters”. If that’s you, imagine what will happen when you’ve reached that new goal? Exactly. If you’re not careful, you’ll brush it off just as fast as all your other accomplishments. Leaving you dissatisfied and aiming for the next one. And the next one. And the… you get the point.

#3 Live as if

On the journey towards your dream life (aka the creative lifestyle to fit your many ideas and interests) it’s important to experience as much of that life in the present as you can. In fact, this is the real *secret* to achieving your dreams. You may wonder how, but consider this: by being too focused on the end result, many people never take steps to actually incorporate the activities associated with their goals into their daily lives. Take a woman who dreams of being a bestselling novelist but never finds the time to actually write. She believes that she will write everyday once she’s an author. That is, someone who has the time to write, who’s read all the books about writing, and who feels ready. Only then will she write. The problem is, with this kind of thinking she’ll never feel (or even be) ready. All she needs is available to her right now: just write already!

It’s the same if you’re dreaming about being a photographer, actress or dancer! Want to be a great photographer one day? Take photos everyday, even if it’s just with your phone! The same with dancing; if you want to enjoy being a dancer, start moving. Now.

It really is that simple. So tell me, what are you waiting for?