When it comes to fulfillment so many of us are blocked because our underlying imposter mindset hinders us from having the life we want and imagine for ourselves.
- When you have an imposter mindset you go through life with a negative impression of yourself so you are reluctant to claim your kudos. You might stall or avoid applying for next-level jobs or promotions because you don’t feel qualified or ready yet. The cost of this is high because your continued growth and satisfaction depend on you believing in and making a case for the value that you bring.
- An imposter mindset will also compel you to overwork. Then your overworking feeds into the feelings of being a fraud: I have to work harder than everyone else just to be here. Overworking also requires a lot of bandwidth. It’s hard to take feel mentally prepared to take risks and push forward with your growth when you’re exhausted.
- Feelings of being an imposter can also keep you stuck in “this before that” thinking. We think, if I want to do this, I’d better get a Ph.D. in it first. It’s exactly this belief system that convinces us we need more qualifications as a form of “permission” to do our work. It gets in the way of developing self-trust that we are capable of even if we aren’t yet perfectly qualified.
An imposter mindset is not our creation—we don’t intentionally bring it to life—but we do have a choice about whether or not to continue to buy into it and let it rule our lives. Awareness is half the battle.
The feedback loop will continue until we replace it with a more self-supportive way of showing up. That means working on self-trust. That allows us to work on the fear of going out of our comfort zone so we take those first few steps forward. That is what expedites growth and paves the way for a fulfilling life.
-Coach Liane
