And Carrie On

I’ve made it no secret that I struggle with imposter syndrome. In fact, I first discussed it on my blog nearly two years ago.

However, I had a conversation this semester in a Coffee with Carrie as part of the Enrollify Lessons in Leadership series. I left that conversation thinking about a few relevant strategies that I’ve been using to help me manage my imposter syndrome.

It helps! It doesn’t solve it, as I think it’s something I’ll always face but I wanted to share some of the strategies I’m using to navigate this.

Wins Record

As I heard recently, we all keep score. It’s human nature, and you have to live by the score you keep. As such, I’m keeping score on the successes that I have. I try each day before heading out to write down a few things that went well or that I’m proud of. On the hard days, it’s been difficult to think of those. However, even in hard days, I’ve found things that I’m proud of. My hope is that I’ll be able to revisit this journal when I feel myself falling victim to imposter syndrome.

Celebrating with My Team

I have a close group of strong, confident women. We are all leaders in our spaces, and we are working together to celebrate our wins. We’ve made a promise that we will share our wins as much as our struggles. As people, we’re programmed to go to the negative, and I am really thankful this group helps me focus on the positive. Sometimes as leaders (particularly women), we are taught that sharing our success is bragging, and so we self-censor. I’m grateful this group welcomes my successes and celebrates them with me, regardless of how big or small.

Prepare

One of the times I feel that I struggle with imposter syndrome the most is when I don’t feel prepared. I have learned this about myself, and I now try to combat this by over-preparing on projects. Studying the situation, the players, and the possibilities helps me feel like I can handle just about anything. Additionally, I always try to make time to imagine the worst scenario in a particular situation. If I have a plan for that situation, then I feel that I am likely prepared and able to handle just about anything in between.

Positive Self Talk

This sounds funny, but I talk to myself sometimes and need to give myself grace when I do. I’m working hard at being less critical of myself and showing myself compassion. Instead of retracing my miscues on a situation, I’m trying to tell myself that I did a good job and that I’m proud of myself. The first time I stopped myself mid-critique, I felt funny about making the change. It’s a small thing, but I’ve been focusing on giving myself positive words of support. Over time, I hope to see the impact pay off in how I interact with myself when I face challenges.

What about You?

How do you navigate imposter syndrome for yourself? I’m curious if there are other strategies that work for others. While I suspect I’ll always struggle with this, I’m proud of the steps I’m taking to minimize my imposter syndrome.