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So you think you are an impostor? 



Impostor syndrome can other wise be described as a combination of self doubt and inferiority.

It's commonly experienced by people running a business, leading a team or people who have received a promotion. However it could be something anyone can experience.

It's a Topsy Turvey Eb-and-flow of peaks and troughs. Maybe one second you are on top of the world, feeling like your an achiever and then the impostor belief steps in and you start to doubt who you are or what you are doing.


  • You may be experiencing pangs of worry, anxiety or even fear.

  • You might be asking for reassurance on decisions (more so than normal) or even looking for people to make decisions for you.

  • You probably find your procrastinating over tasks and putting things off.

  • That self talk has become negative and bullying and makes you feel low and exhausted.

Here is a really simple activity to do on your own to help you explore and resolve some of those self doubt beliefs:

  • Write down 8-10 thoughts or beliefs relating to your impostor.

  • Cut them into strips and order them either in prevalence (which ones crop up most as an issue) or order of importance (which one needs addressing most).

  • Now let's identify a Quick Win. Find one of your beliefs/issues that you can do something positive about, easily, and TAKE ACTION NOW! It may only be a small action but it's going to be a really pleasing effective one. This could be as simple as ripping out used pages from a note book so you have a clean slate to plan and make ideas happen from a fresh perspective.

  • Next find an "Untruth"- which when explored now feels or starts to feel untrue and is easily scrutinized. Take this one and rewrite it with a positive statement linked to your capabilities and opportunities.

  • Big chunk! Which one needs breaking down and feels the biggest. Let's take it and make some practical Smart steps and actions. This will often be something that you may feel you need to gain skills, learn more or practice more of so it feels less of a thing and you can start achieving.

  • Have a look at all these beliefs now. Has just acknowledging them made them insignificant?

For example if your thought is' I'll never be able to present my idea' and your creating dramatic movies of how much you might mess up. Set 3-5 smaller tangible goals, establish a timescale to keep you motivated and accountable (as well as seeing the journey of your progress).


FOR EXAMPLE if we think about the "presenting" conundrum above. You could set the following actions for yourself to further break it down.

1) Watch a public speaking YouTube video or listen to a podcast.

2) Research a public speaking course to attend.

3) Write presentation slides and pitch in front of friends/family.

4) Get and receive feedback.

5) Journal experience about this issue as it changes and read back progress.

If you feel like that critical self talk is getting in your way you may be telling yourself an old story about your skills or who you are now, you may want to explore ways to change that story so it doesn't hold you back from achieving what you set out to.



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