Early this year I wrote a blog about ‘Impostor Syndrome’. You can check it out here. I revisited it last night and am happy to report the following;
While I still struggle with ‘Impostor Syndrome’ from time to time, I am making leaps and bounds towards a stronger more confident version of myself. Impostor Syndrome is found in many Americans and can be described as the inability to believe that your success and achievements are a direct result of your own doing – your own skill and determination. We doubt ourselves; we question if we really earned or deserve what we received. For some people, that means they may have an irrational fear that they will get their PhD taken away, or that they’ve come to where they are by accident, or that they don’t actually know how to do what they are doing and will some day be found out. Whatever it looks like it’s a real struggle.
A few weeks ago, a company reached out to me to photograph an individual they were highlighting. I was happy to get the inquiry and quickly accepted the gig. Similar to my stories about University of Rochester New York and Enterprise Rent a Car, this too made me a little uneasy… BUT I didn’t let those emotions, those fears, that reality, get the best of me. I knew I could provide a good- no, great, service and the company would be happy with the final product. I met with the individual, we did the photo session and I sent the images. Of course, the company loved the images and that was it. Simple.
A year ago, I may have fretted from the moment I hit “send” on that email, I may have doubted myself for days, worrying that I would let them down, that they’d realize I had no idea what I was doing. Today, Yesterday, last week, I didn’t do that! I believed in myself and was confident that I am successful. Confident that I know what I am doing.
So, why loop back around to this topic? No, not because I want to brag but because it’s so important for us to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going. Acknowledging our short comings or struggles and challenges allows us to see them in the light and find ways to overcome them. We will always have these things but the more we address them; the more we talk about them the better we can use these things to help us grow and improve into a better, more rounded and confident individual.
I want to challenge you to acknowledge a struggle you have and then work towards making it better. Whether it is internal or external, big or small! Just acknowledging it is the starting point…
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