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.
