Weekly Nugget: Ever Feel Like an Imposter at Work? You’re not alone!

Hi friend,

Continuing our conversation on the victimhood of inability, another way of being I want to bring to your attention is that of imposter syndrome.

Do you ever fear that you'll be "found out" soon enough, that everyone will realize that you are a fake, don't know what you're talking about, are underqualified, just got lucky, and so on…?

Or, in other words, do you ever feel like you may be an imposter? Well, you are not alone!

Many times, I have felt like an imposter. When I first launched ‘The Power Course,’ I used to freak out before every group call and think, “Who the hell do I think I am to teach this? I don't have a Ph.D. yet, I haven't studied Heidegger as carefully as I wanted to,” etc.

But eventually, I said, “You know what, it's not about me.”

Imposter syndrome results from too much focus on yourself and too much over-concern with your identity. In that over-concern, you forget that it's not about you; it's about others.

It's about you taking a stand in care for others and committing to prepare yourself to take that stand. When you concern yourself with that, the imposter syndrome begins to give way to a commitment to learning, expanding, and caring.

Imposter syndrome happens when you don't have confidence in the offer that you are. Confidence comes from preparation. If you are making a particular offer and don't have the skills necessary to do the job, you can commit to learning those skills. And boom, the imposter syndrome is over.

So, if you're feeling stuck in the imposter loop, know this: Your value isn't in what you know but in your willingness to listen, learn, and care about others. That is the path from imposter syndrome to being a ‘being of service.’

Do you struggle with imposter syndrome? If so, I would love to hear what this nugget provoked for you.

With care,
Saqib