Pushing through Imposter Syndrome

I sat in that kitchen listening to the introductions and all I could think was, “I don’t belong in this room.”

A few years ago I attended my very first business retreat. I knew no one. At that time, my ghostwriting business was a very small one. I was nowhere near being a top-paid ghostwriter in the industry. My income was barely covering the monthly membership for this business community I had joined.

Total Life Freedom Retreat March 2022

It was easy to show up weekly to the zoom calls and soak it all in. But now we were in person. No computer screen to hide behind. No website to explain my services. I felt raw and completely exposed to a room full of, “much smarter,” “much better",” and “much more qualified” people than I was. What was worse? I had come wanting to create a whole new platform for myself.

Then I entered the room and shook hands. I heard about the amazing businesses that these people had. I heard about their income levels and multiple streams of income. I sat there shrinking in my seat. “I don’t belong here,” replayed over and over in my mind.

At one point every person in that room had been me. They had walked bravely into a room of people they wanted to learn and grow from. They had taken a risk, a chance, and a big plunge for their businesses and done exactly what I was doing by attending that retreat.

I didn’t think of it that way, though.

I only saw my inadequacies, “IMPOSTER ENTERING!”

As I sit here writing this I am positive that every one of you reading this has felt this at one time. Imposter syndrome is a pretty common term that many are familiar with. If you weren’t familiar with that term before this minute, I’ve just described it above. Now you can put a term to that awful feeling you have had, and maybe even currently have now when it comes to different things in your life and business.

The funny thing about imposter syndrome is that it can sneak up on you even when you’ve been a master of your industry/craft for a long time.

Recently, a coaching client I had went a few rounds with imposter syndrome. He is a pretty confident guy and has been in business for a long time. But now, he was taking a leap and writing a book. His words matched those of many, “I’m not a writer,” and “why would people listen to me.” These are two very common imposter syndrome pushbacks that I hear often.

Author & Entrepreneur Robert Kaelin and Author & Entrepreneur Terry Weaver at The Thing Conference Orlando Fall 2023.

I believe we all have a story to tell. We have all navigated things in life. We’ve conquered and been conquered. We’ve succeeded and failed abysmally. We’ve cried. We’ve lost. We’ve achieved. And for many of us, we’ve figured out how to put some of those learning experiences down in order to help others along the way.

That is why I believe we all have a story to tell.

Sure, maybe it’s just one that your own family would want to read about.

But maybe, just maybe, it’s destined to help the masses. If that’s the case, it’s our responsibility to do so. Why? Because I believe in being a Generous Influencer.

You are uniquely bespoke to tell your story and share your knowledge. So, if it’s in your heart to do so, push through the imposter syndrome and do it!

As Dr. Suess has taught us all, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

Feeling imposter syndrome is a growing pain we navigate, but it should never be used as a prison. Don’t let it keep you walled off and inside. Instead, acknowledge it and look for the support you need to reach that goal anyway. Because the truth is, you belong in this room!