You’re not alone.

It’s probably impostor syndrome. We all suffer from it. It may show up in different places in our lives. It may show up at work, in our relationships or possibly any activity that we participate in. We may not recognize it right away, but it is the result of self-doubt, low self-esteem, or a lack of confidence.
Impostor syndrome is that feeling we get that tells us we aren’t good enough or that we aren’t qualified to be doing something. There are some things, that we can infer based on common sense that we aren’t qualified to do. For example, I’ve never flown an airplane, and if I tried to do so without proper instruction, the results would be disastrous. I would not succeed. If I pretended to know how to do something to intentionally deceive someone, then I am an obvious impostor.

I still believe that at any time the no-talent police will come and arrest me.

Mike Myers

But on an ordinary day at work, I regularly deal with impostor syndrome. My job requires a lot of technical knowledge and I often feel that I have no idea what I am doing. The truth of the situation is my job is very hard, there are many intricate details, and high expectations from the company’s leadership. The constant stress of hitting quotas, meeting targets, and beating deadlines all contribute to me questioning my ability. I would bet that I am not alone. Everyone can relate to this type of pressure, no matter what career field you are in. Someone else is always expecting something more from us. Some work environments cause us to doubt ourselves and the decisions we make.
I have been experiencing tremendous battles with impostor syndrome as I write this blog and in other areas of social media where I try to contribute. I have set out to write my thoughts on life and share bits of wisdom that I have learned over the years in hopes of helping in some small way. But then the impostor demon shows up and says “Who are you? Who are you to tell someone how to motivate themselves or suggest what they should be doing to stay healthy? What makes you an expert on saving money to travel or any other topic for that matter?” Those can be devastating thoughts to work through.
Ironically, as I am writing this post about impostor syndrome, I am fighting back thoughts asking me if I am qualified to be writing about this.
But the answer is a resounding “YES”, and I will tell you why. And if you are wondering if you would be qualified to write about this, then I would say emphatically, “Yes you are”. If it is coming from our hearts and we are not trying to deceive or deliberately lead someone down the wrong path, then we are not impostors. Our actions are coming from a place of good intention. As for me, I want to offer a helping hand, a little bit of advice to anyone who wants it, and I do so with sincerity.
My desire to share and to help others and to bring what I’ve learned over the years to the table comes from deep within. Perhaps it is because I have spent so much of my life struggling with self-worth issues. There were members of the generation ahead of me that told me I wouldn’t amount to anything, that I was stupid and lazy. I had a guidance counselor in High School that looked me right in the eyes and told me I was worthless and wasting her time. Many people don’t realize the impact their words have on young developing minds.
I hope that you had more people in your life offering you positive encouragement than those offering negativity and pain. The challenge is that those negative voices sometimes seem to speak the loudest.

I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.

Maya Angelou

These are the things that contribute to impostor syndrome and the truth is that we all feel self-doubt to some degree at certain points in our lives. Some may be less than others but many, feel it more than we care to speak about. Including people that are in powerful positions. They are no different than you or me.
It’s understandable that we feel that way, and okay to acknowledge that feeling. But just because we acknowledge it does not mean that we must accept it. We must recognize, that we are not impostors. We are just human beings trying to do the best we can. We always have things to learn. Deep down inside, we all desire a sense of purpose and to contribute something good to the world. If we get caught up too long in thinking that we are impostors, then we won’t take the actions to be the best that we can be. We would end up curling up in a figurative ball and just go through the cycle of life without ever becoming our true selves.
I fight through these feelings and do what I can. Some days, I am better at it than others, and some days it’s truly a battle, but I always win because I always try to do the right thing in all situations. And when we do what is right, it is impossible to be an impostor.
If there are days you feel this way, just push through, acknowledge that you are doing the best you can and that is always good enough.
You don’t need to be perfect, nor should you feel like you must apologize for being you. We are all perfectly imperfect. I encourage you to embrace who you are and just be the best version of you.