A Pep Talk
Break Through Imposter Syndrome
Hey Readers!
Okay, it’s time for a pep talk.
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a good pep talk and a nerd for commencement speeches. In fact, to pump myself up for law school exams, I used to divide my time between pep talks on You Tube and go get ‘em playlists on Spotify. Yeah, yeah, I know. Listing to Eye of the Tiger on loop is pretty corny. But it works.
So, in the spirit of graduation season—let’s have our own little pep talk.
Whether you’re a brand new college student, starting your first “real” job, a seasoned professional, artist, writer, musician, poet, entrepreneur, teacher, scientist, or any other situation that requires stepping up to the plate to make your dreams come true—you’ve experienced it: Imposter Syndrome.
It’s that feeling that creeps into your head when you find yourself in a room with a group of talented people and you think, what am I doing here? I’m not as good, as smart, as talented, and pretty soon, all the people in this room are going to figure that out. They’re going to know I don’t belong here. I am a fraud.
Oh, just stop it.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here’s your Busy Lady Reminder:
You belong here. You belong in the room. That’s right, you!
Why?
The next time this little pesky voice of doubt creeps in on you, remind yourself this: you wouldn’t be in the room if you didn’t belong there.
You’ve hustled, you’ve bustled, you’ve done the work. That’s why you’re here. People are noticing your skill, talent, tenacity. For those reasons alone, you belong.
In fact, if you are comfortable in the room you’re in, you’re in the wrong room. Why? Because if you’re comfortable, you’re not growing. You’re not expanding, not putting yourself out there for the glory or the fall. For the growth. You’re just being stagnant. Safe.
The accomplishments and experiences that got you here were not flukes. They resulted from your hard work.
And don’t forget, no one can be you. Only you know how to do things the way you do them. I don’t care about what college someone went to, how much money is their bank account, or how long their resume is. You have unique, worthy, diverse experiences. You never wanted to be cookie cutter, anyway. The world doesn’t need another person like everyone else. It needs you.
Still feeling like you don’t belong? That’s okay! It’s normal to feel this way when you are invited to sit at the table with other great minds in your field. Soak up the opportunity! Ask them questions, learn from them. Seek mentors from those that did the hard work, too. And if they don’t want to mentor? Don’t worry about it. Find someone else to learn from.
And please, remind yourself it’s okay to not know everything. It’s okay to ask questions. To observe. To make mistakes. That’s how we learn.
A prominent judge I once knew said this: “Mistakes are normal. It’s why pencils have erasers and the justice system has appellate courts.” I loved it when I heard it and never forgot it, because it’s true! The key is to learn from the mistakes. The mistake is not trying because you are afraid to fail. If you don’t know something, ask! It’s okay to say, I’m not sure. I’ll have to look into that for you.
Stop thinking you are not good enough. Finish that story! Record that song! Set up that coffee date with a successful person you admire. And ask yourself, to whose standard are you measuring, anyway? Who's telling you that you're not good enough? Some fake social media reel? A magazine cover? A fantasy situation in a movie or on a television show? Someone close to you that was judgmental? Are you still thinking about that one time (or more than one time) you were picked last in gym class when you were in second grade and didn’t feel part of the team?
Get over it. You are here. You are you. Being you is all you need. Believe in your own measure of success. You’ve done the work. You’ve done the time. And now you’re here. So be here.
Now, go make your dreams come true!
Till Next Time,
Sarah
AKA A Busy Lady
© WHAT’S GOIN ON?!! SLN Publishing, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Whew! I feel like this came at the right time! So many times I feel discouraged because of imposter syndrome! This is a reminder that I deserve to be in many places and I belong there. Love the quote by the Judge!