How to Tame your Impostor Syndrome

Sometimes when I’m prepping a client for an interview, it’s clear – they’ve done their homework..

Elevator pitch ✅
STAR  stories ✅

How many tennis balls fit into a limousine? Kidding – we don’t prep for that one anymore. 

They know their stuff and yet, it’s not landing when we do a mock interview. Or they’re sweating through a 2nd shirt. 

That’s when we take a step back and look at what’s truly getting in the way. 

It sounds like…

Why would they want me when there are so many other candidates? 

I don’t have every bullet in the job description. 

Am I even [INSERT ANY COMPANY NAME} material?

In these moments, I say with all the love and compassion, what’s holding you back here is not your expertise or your level of talent (which is typically off the charts).

It’s the dreaded impostor syndrome. 

It’s that part of you that doesn’t believe you’re worthy of this role. 

The eight-year old part who didn’t get every answer right on the worksheet and was scolded by a parent, a teacher or a competitive kid. 

She’s scared. She's stomping her feet to stop you from taking a chance on doing anything that is not perfection. With the sweat and racing heart, she’s trying to redirect you to safety. 

But you – you know that these are the moments you pull yourself out of the game. When you don’t go for the promotion or the public speaking opportunity. 

And you promised yourself that you’re ready to break this pattern. To step forward, even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy. 

So you sit this 8 year old you down in that chair that everyone fights over in your childhood home. 

And you give her a hot cocoa with as many marshmallows as she wants and you say – Little me, we’re ok. 

Somebody should have told you, you can do your best and you can get some answers wrong and you will still be smart and lovable and worthy of getting that VP of Marketing role. OK, that last part may not make too much sense, but trust me it will some day. 

You can say all the things you needed to hear then and are still hungry for now. You can breathe through whatever feelings come up and know you will have to say these things again and again to make them stick. 

But it’s worth it. You’re worth it, sweaty pits, imperfect answers and all.