Yesterday afternoon I took part in a fabulous webinar with Staffbase about Imposter Syndrome. I didn’t intend to write about this topic today, but I received quite a few messages after the session from people who said that the session resonated with them.

On the webinar, I mentioned that I name my imposter. This led to a flurry of messages from people who said that they were going to do this and the hastag #nameyourimpostor was created. 

I name my imposter because I acknowledge she’s a part of who I am, but I didn’t want to refer to her as being this thing that I couldn’t control. I realised that if I gave her a name, it helped remove the emotion out of the situation. There’s some psychology around using third-person language which I won’t go into here but if you’re interested check out this link. 

I know not everyone will agree, and not everyone would find it helpful. If naming your imposter isn’t for you, then maybe try Katie Macaulay’s method. She mentioned on the webinar that rather than name her imposter, she names her alter ego, the person who challenges her and does the things that Katie wouldn’t normally do. I love that, as well.

But even though Sandy is annoying and she’s like a guest who has overstayed their welcome, I don’t want her to go away completely. Because, to be honest, she keeps me grounded and keeps my ego in check. But remember there is a fine line with your imposter keeping you in check and  your imposter stopping you progressing – as Kristin Hancock quite rightly said on the webinar, don’t use it as an excuse not to challenge yourself. 

Remember:

• You’ve worked hard to get to where you are today.
• Your views are just as important as anyone else.
• If you want to see change, then you have to be the change you want to see.
• Comfort is the enemy of progress.
• Most importantly, you’re not alone!

Let me know if you decide to name your imposter!