10 Tips To Overcome Impostor Syndrome

I see this all the time… I meet someone incredible, smart, outgoing, and successful, yet when you push a little deeper they say they still feel like they are an impostor. And are often struggling to overcome impostor syndrome.

“Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon, fraud syndrome or the impostor experience) is a concept describing individuals who are marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.” ~ Wikipedia

I have personally struggled with varying degrees of impostor syndrome over the years. Things like self-doubt, or negative self-talk. I still, to this day, catch myself comparing where I’m at in life to others. Sometimes thinking I’ve “wasted” time doing this or that instead of building my brand like so and so did. The reality is we (myself and the person I compare myself to) are living two completely different lives and shouldn’t be in the same place, as we’ve traveled different paths.

“Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.” ~ Wikipedia

If you struggle with the feeling of impostor syndrome, and worst, if it’s holding you back from taking the steps to reach your dream life, consider the following 10 tips:

1. Perfection is not real.

You can find a flaw in anything if you look hard enough, so don’t worry about being perfect.

2. Just start.

Because perfection isn’t real, you should jump into whatever it is you’ve been thinking about doing, without worrying about it being perfect. Everyone is messy when they first start something new, things only get better with time and practice.

For example when I first started my first website… it was a hot mess. I had random pictures up and blog posts that didn’t totally make sense. I didn’t know what I was doing yet, it took trial and error and time to figure things out. But the key here is that I started!

3. Failure is great!

It’s how we learn best. So don’t be afraid to fail. If you do, get back up, dust yourself off, and try again. Learn from those mistakes and improve.

4. Being an expert takes “years”.

You don’t have time for that. Learn as you go. Be honest with people about when you don’t know the answers, and then offer to help find them. People will respect you for your honesty. It takes courage to admit you don’t know everything… and odds are you know more than someone else, so teach them what you already know.

5. Don’t worry about external validation.

Worry less about how many followers you have, or what list you’re on. Spend your time working on the quality of content you’re creating for the world. Whether you’re a blogger, a dishwasher, or a millionaire, be the best at it, and be proud of the work you put out.

6. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Like I said above, you should NEVER be in the same spot as someone else, as there isn’t a single person in the whole world who has taken the same steps as you or had the same opportunities/setbacks. Every journey is different, and you’re right where you should be. Start from where you are now.

7. Stop thinking about yourself.

Stop thinking about what you need or want, and start thinking about what you can do for others. How can you better your community, country, or the world? Give back and you’ll get back the self-worth you’ve been longing for.

8. Practice, Practice, Practice!

If you want to be an expert at something, work at it. The rule is if you do anything for 10,000 hours you’ll be an expert. That’s a little over 4 years at 40 hours per week. Start now, and over time you’ll become the expert you want to be.

9. Create a larger circle.

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Consider who those people are. If they aren’t helping you reach your dreams, consider bringing some new people into your inner circle.