I asked God to open new doors for me and I’ve been working really hard to do my part to get my pinky toe in these doors I speak of. Along this journey, I’ve found myself launching a podcast, writing my second book, learning to pitch myself to others to promote these projects, and so much more. Sometimes when I write or speak about myself or my plans, I leave certain details out because I don’t quite feel ready. I slightly sensed an imposter vibe in my spirit and since I’ve recently seen a lot of women admit to suffering from Imposter Syndrome, I thought it’d be a good idea to take a moment to share my experiences and explore the topic further…
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter Syndrome is described as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. According to the Harvard Business Review, ‘imposters’ experience “chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.” What this means is that people may be doing really big but they allow self-doubt to hold them back for various reasons. Perhaps some of them feel like they really don’t know what they’re doing and/or they don’t feel worthy of the success they’re experiencing.
I’ve noticed that a lot of the women of color I know experience imposter syndrome and publicly voice concerns about it. On the other hand, the up and coming male rappers I know who rap about the women they “date” and the alleged money they make don’t seem to have the same problem. I think they, along with many others, have learned to take the “fake it til you make it” approach.
Why I’m Rejecting Imposter Syndrome…
I’m a fairly confident person. I know I’m not perfect but I’ve become accustomed to wanting to do something and figuring out how to make it happen. I personally didn’t think imposter syndrome affected me until I noticed how I felt internally when someone called me a podcaster a few weeks ago. I instantly corrected him and deemed it necessary to share that I’m a beginner and I’m still learning. I had to check myself because he didn’t ask me all that. He had listened to several of my episodes and came to the conclusion that I was a podcaster so that’s what the heck I am!
The truth is, we all start somewhere. Whether you’re at a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level of your craft, it’s important to show yourself some love and allow others to do the same. Even Beyoncé had a first show and it took time for her to become the icon so many look up to today. I plan to embrace where I am and continuously work to get better. I’m also trying to get better at shamelessly promoting myself.
If I’m keeping it a buck, my friends do a better job of promoting me than I do and it’s easier for me to shout out what other people have going on than it is to big up myself. In the past, I didn’t want people to get tired of looking at me or thinking I’m doing too much but that’s all over now. If I don’t support me, who will? If people get tired of seeing me promote my book, podcast, real estate career or whatever then there’s a little unfollow button they can click.
Speaking of podcasts and self-promotion, check out this recent episode of The Black Girl Bravado where they discuss how necessary it is to be bold and promote your dang self. That being said, not only should you listen to their podcast but you should subscribe to mine too. Aye! How’s that for self-promotion?
Are you an imposter?
I don’t want to leave without making a very important point. You may be right for feeling like an imposter if you keep changing your mind about what it is you want to do or if you never really bring your ideas to fruition. If you lack consistency and effort then maybe you’re not truly pursuing your passion. Take the necessary time to explore and plan your endeavors so that the results you want are more likely to come to pass. You might start off as an ‘imposter’ or someone who’s unsure about what they’re doing but who says you have to stay that way?
Just today I learned some super cool photo editing techniques. And each week, I try to learn new skills that will benefit me in business and life in general. I recommend others seek new knowledge often because there are so many available resources on the world wide web so it’s much easier to figure stuff out than folks may think. Research, learn, practice, and make your dreams happen. You make start off faking it until you make it but you won’t be an imposter for long…