Goodbye Imposter-Syndrome!
Take your confidence out for a spin.
I caught up with a close friend who had recently started managing people. Leadership often holds the mirror up and reflects back a surprising amount of yourself—a gift and a challenge.
My friend's promotion landed her a team of people to lead, most of whom were older than her and predominantly male. She also scored a seat on the company's Board of Directors. Huge! With all that going on, feeling like a guest would be easy.
She received all of this because they value her expertise. But feeling like you've earned your spot can be challenging to accept, even with all the evidence to support it. Some days, it's easy; others, not so much.
In moments of doubt, she'd stand up as tall as she could in front of the bathroom mirror, broaden her shoulders, reach her arms overhead, clawing her fingers like a grizzly bear and say, "I'm supposed to be here!"
Ha! Take that, imposter!
I burst out laughing as my friend reenacted her morning ritual. And then I sat back and took it in. What a great lesson. Here I was, ignorantly thinking I was the only one who felt unqualified to do the things I was doing. I took comfort in knowing I wasn't alone and gave the exercise a shot.
The silliness is an instant mood lifter. You're wishing yourself well for the day. No—you're demanding it. You deserve to be here! You were invited. Don't think in any other way. Lean into your bear-like confidence!
So, the next time you feel someone will catch you for not being as smart as everyone else, try the supposed-to-be-here exercise and start your day with grizzly confidence.
