Your Impostor Syndrome Survival Kit
I bet this won’t come as a surprise to you when I say that more often than not, I find myself comparing my business to others and fall into that dreaded “impostor syndrome” trap.
Tell me, have you ever felt like a fraud, even when you’ve accomplished great things? Do you struggle to accept praise or recognition for your hard work, thinking that you’re not good enough and you’ll be exposed as inadequate at any moment? Yep, and here’s the thing… It happens to everyone.
Impostor Syndrome is the belief that your success is due to luck, chance, or the ability to get people to think you’re more competent than you actually are. It’s a psychological pattern that affects people from all walks of life, regardless of their level of success or achievements.
So… what to do? Here’s my survival kit for you.
1. Fear not facts
Even someone as accomplished and successful as Amy Porterfield, the New York Times bestselling author of Two Weeks Notice, and the creator of a variety of online courses that earn her tens of millions of dollars, experiences self-doubt.
In a recent interview with Jeff Walker, the “guru” of launching your products or services online - he just updated his best selling book Launch - she spoke about how she still struggles with feeling like an impostor at times, even though she’s achieved so much in her career.
Here’s the thing. We need to remember that Impostor Syndrome is a normal human experience. It’s natural to doubt yourself and question whether you’re good enough, especially when you’re stepping outside of your comfort zone or doing something new. But it’s a feeling of fear. It’s not based on facts.
Give yourself grace and acknowledge the feeling. You are both capable and deserving of success. It’s simply a mindset that can be changed.
2. Acknowledge and move on
When you’re experiencing Impostor Syndrome, it can be helpful to ask yourself, “What does that person have that I want or would like to have?” This question can help you identify the skills, knowledge, or experiences that you need to acquire in order to achieve your goals.
For example, if you’re an artist who wants to get your artwork out into the world, you might ask yourself what successful artists in your field have that you don’t. Maybe they have a strong online presence or a loyal fan base. Once you’ve identified what you want to achieve, you can take action to get there.
Take advantage of resources that are available to you. Have you downloaded my free ebook on surface design and the 7 ways to create income from your art? Have you signed up for my Doodles Coaching Week, which only costs $10.00, to learn the steps to create a repeating pattern using Adobe Illustrator? Get specific about your goals and seek out a teacher or guide who can help you get there.
3. Watch how you spend your time
Take a minute to reflect on how you spend your time. We all say that we’re busy. Everyone says that all the time. But actually, we all have 24 hours a day - no more, no less. So how are you spending your time? This is really important because as Tony Robbins says: “What you focus on is how you feel.”
During the pandemic, if I listened to the news non-stop to try to understand what was going on, I felt miserable. If I watched Netflix shows for hours on end, I felt exhausted and drained. I realized pretty quickly that I had to develop a different routine or I’d become really depressed.
I leaned back into my creativity and developed a morning routine. Cup of coffee. Fifteen minutes of drawing or sketching. A quick walk around the neighborhood. Then I got into my work day. Do you have a morning routine that helps set you up for success each day?
4. Take small steps forward
One of the most important things you can do to move through Impostor Syndrome is to become a “doer.” This means taking action towards your goals every day, even if it’s just one small step.
As my dear friend and creative mentor Bonnie Christine, says, “Do one thing a day that brings you closer to your dream.” This could be as simple as reaching out to a potential client or spending 15 minutes working on your art.
When you take action, you build momentum and confidence. You prove to yourself that you’re capable of making progress towards your goals, and you start to build confidence and capabilities. Fifteen minutes a day translates into 5,475 hours in a year. That’s 91 days which is the equivalent of three months. You can make huge progress in that amount of time. And we can all find 15 minutes, right?
5. Celebrate your wins!
This is one of my core beliefs and something that I talk about in my programs all the time. We need to acknowledge the progress we’re making. Even if it’s small progress. Babies don’t learn to walk overnight. They start by grabbing the side of the coffee table and holding themselves up. They fall down a lot. But no ones says: “Oh well. That kid’s never going to walk.” Not at all. On the contrary we smile. We applaud. We clap our hands with encouragement. We know that with time and practice, the kid will start walking.
Don’t overlook how important it is to stop and take a moment to write down the win or accomplishment that happened. This reenforces the positive feeling you’re experiencing and adds to the joy that comes from making progress. Want to share a win with me? Click HERE and send it to me.
Impostor Syndrome is normal. Everyone experiences it. Use this survival kit and watch as you build the momentum and confidence to achieve your dreams.
See you next week.
xo,
Anne
P.S. The Doodles Coaching Week starts on March 8th. Click HERE to join us.
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MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
