Imposter Syndrome: Staring at the Water
It’s hard to get a project off the ground. Before you even start there are all kinds of weird and crappy inner voices telling you that you’re not ready, that your project is a bad idea, or that you don’t have enough experience to be successful. The more you think about your project, the worse this gets, like the kid that’s stood on the high-dive too long gazing at the deep water below.
The bad news is, this kind of self-doubt isn’t going away easily, and maybe not at all. “Imposter Syndrome,” the particularly nasty version of self-doubt which is expressed in the thought that everyone will be able to tell that you aren’t experienced enough in your field tends to stick around a long time.
The good news is, it’s not so bad. Because no one knows everything. Indeed, to become an authority in your field, you simply need to know more about your area of interest than anyone else in the room. And, while you may not yet have the knowledge and experience you want, working towards that knowledge and experience counts for a lot.
Become the Authority!
CopyBlogger recently shared an article with four unexpected ways to become an authority on any subject. Let these steps guide you and before you know it, “imposter syndrome” will be a thing of the past.
1. Recognize that there will always be people who are smarter and more skilled than you are, and be okay with that.
2. Break down complex subjects that you understand well for others who may not.
3. Find fellow apprentices who may not know as much as you and begin to teach them.
4. Commit to a sincere desire to help others.
You can read the original article here:
How a Famous Robot Test Can Help You Beat Impostor Syndrome
And here is another nicely actionable article from Inc.com about building conference. Let take some ideas to heart and get off that high dive!