How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Imposter syndrome.
It can be kind of crippling, if we’re being honest. And so much of our time is taken up by this feeling of not being good enough. This feeling of anxiety, like we’ll never be as good as we want to be.
Well, I’m not a fan of that.
So many of us struggle with feeling like we don’t have the expertise to do what we do. We’re constantly telling ourselves that we don’t really know what we’re talking about, and that it’s only a matter of time before people start catching on.
Our imposter syndrome can really get the better of us sometimes. So here are some ways you can call out the lies you tell yourself.
Talk to your friends and family
Ask your friends what they think of your work, your next big idea, or anything else you are completely unsure about. The people who are closest to you will usually give it to you straight. They likely won’t sugarcoat anything or tell you half-truths, so you can trust what they say. And if they’re really good friends, they’ll brainstorm with you. If your idea isn’t fully thought out, or needs a different direction, they will explore that with you AND they’ll encourage you while doing it.
At the end of the day, none of us really know what we’re doing. We all have doubts, and are just figuring it out as we go. I’d rather see you try an idea and fail, than you do nothing because you told yourself you can’t do it.
Take some time away
You don’t need to take a full-on vacation to get a shift in perspective (although that can help!). Sometimes all you need to do is walk away, change up your scenery, listen to some motivational podcasts, and then come back to what you were working on. Your ideas will still be there after you take a break. There are no deadlines besides the ones you put on yourself, and those can be adjusted.
Listen to facts, not feelings
Take a look at your work and ideas objectively. Don’t get your feelings involved, because sometimes they can lead us astray. Pretend these are someone else’s ideas and projects, what would you think of them? Detach yourself from what you’re doing for a little bit, and I’m sure you’ll find that it’s a lot more valuable than you thought initially.
Here’s a challenge for you: Create something, then destroy it. Rip it up, burn it, throw it away, you get the idea. Spend some time creating something, and put some solid effort into it. Don’t half-ass it with the knowledge it’ll be destroyed later. The goal of this exercise is to detach yourself and your feelings from what you create, just for a little bit. Feelings aren’t bad, but they can definitely hinder us from seeing the bigger picture sometimes.
Remember perfectionism is a trap
Perfectionism is just a pretty way of saying you’re never satisfied or happy with what you do. It’s also an excuse to never put your ideas out into the world. Oof.
I’m gonna give you some tough love. Let go of it. Perfectionism will not get you anywhere. Ask any successful person what they think of perfectionism and you’ll understand. If Elyse Myers let perfectionism get the better of her, we would have never been blessed by the entertaining and encouraging content she puts out on TikTok and Instagram. Consistent B- work is better than inconsistent A+ work. Show up imperfectly. Your people will come.
Celebrate every win, no matter how small
I don’t care if you went to a pop up market and only sold three things. Celebrate it. Maybe you were just able to breakeven this past month. Reward yourself with something small (there are lots of free ways to celebrate, ya know). Even if you’re celebrating getting through the day, that’s enough. You are enough. And your ideas are good.
At the end of the day, imposter syndrome is a liar. And we don’t have the time or energy to waste on liars. Am I right?
If you want something to preoccupy your brain so that it’s not focused on feeling like an imposter, download my free therapeutic art prompts! They may just be the thing you need to help you get out of your creative rut.