Latest news with #impostersyndrome
Fast Company
02-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
How to turn fear into fuel as a tech entrepreneur
When something scares you, what's your gut reaction? Do you dodge it, chip away at it slowly, or face it head-on? As entrepreneurs, fear is a big part of our job. We're all familiar with the usual suspects: fear of embarrassment, fear of missing out on a valuable opportunity, fear of not being good enough (imposter syndrome, anyone?), and of course, the fear of failure. After starting Wistia with my co-founder, Brendan, and growing it over the past 18 years, we've faced fear head-on and learned this: fear is a killer in the startup world. It can stop the most talented entrepreneurs before they even begin, holding them back from chasing ideas that could change everything. Afraid to pitch that investor? Nervous about launching that newsletter? We've all been there. But here's the thing: tackling those fears head-on is exactly how you win in business. Why? Because taking risks is how we grow and innovate. If you aren't scaring yourself and failing along the way, progress will be slow to come by. Some of the best lessons I learned began with failure. HARNESSING YOUR FEAR The most successful founders know how to manage fear and turn it into fuel for themselves and their businesses. This is easier said than done. I'm still learning how to harness fear myself, but here are some tips I've learned along the way: Don't Overthink When I have the choice of how to react to a situation that I'm fearful of, I prefer to address it as quickly as possible by running face-first into the fear. I assess the situation and if the fear is driven by something I can control, I prefer to handle it head-on. The faster I can compress the time fear has to mess with me, the better. It stops me from overthinking and keeps me from getting stuck. Plus, it speeds everything up—face the fear, take the risk, and move forward. Separate Fear From Excitement Fear and excitement can feel weirdly similar—especially when you care deeply about the situation. The key is learning to separate them. Recognizing that what you're feeling might actually stem from excitement and passion can help you clear your head and make better decisions. Take public speaking, for example. You might think, 'Why can't I stop obsessing over this?' At first, it feels like fear—because you care what people think. But that care? That's passion. That's excitement about connecting with an audience. And if you can channel that energy, you can flip it from fear to fuel. It's all about recognizing the difference. Fear holds you back; excitement pushes you forward. Use it. Don't Fall For The 'Spotlight Effect' Many of us fall victim to the spotlight effect, which is when you overestimate how much others are noticing and focusing on your actions. In reality, others aren't paying as close attention to you as you think, especially when you're first getting started with a company. You are also often your own worst critic. Go launch that newsletter. Start that LinkedIn page. It might be your first step toward the most remarkable thing you ever do. The best part about starting is that nobody is looking. Of all the times to fail, it's the best. So yes, being an entrepreneur is all about fear. Fear of failing, fear of making the wrong decision, and sometimes even fear of success. At the end of the day, the difference between winning and losing is simple: how you face your fears. Don't let fear dictate your future. Feel it, lean into it, and take the shot anyway. That's where growth happens.
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
‘Imposter Syndrome': 4 Ways To Turn It Into A Career Asset
A body of literature focuses on how to tackle and overcome imposter syndrome, but now experts are ... More showing how you can harness this feeling into boosting your job performance. On a cold, January day, Margo was having an anxiety attack in my office, afraid she would fail in the highly competitive real estate job she had worked day and night for several years. The paradox was she had just received an award and a bonus for top million-dollar salesperson in her company. Yet, she believed it was only a matter of time before her incompetence was revealed and she would lose her job. Margo was suffering from imposter syndrome--the chronic fear of being exposed as a fraud and that others think you're more capable and competent than you are. 'At first, I felt good about it," Margo told me, 'but that only lasted for about twenty minutes. Then I realized it was a fluke, and I'll never be able to pull it off again. I feel like I've pulled the wool over everybody's eyes.' Margo isn't alone, and neither are you if you feel like an imposter. Some of the most accomplished personalities on the planet have struggled with self-doubt. Journalist Jeff Jarvis said, 'Like most other creatives, I struggle with self-sabotage, self-doubt and feeling like an impostor more often than not.' Arianna Huffington, founder of Thrive Global, has written about her experience with imposter syndrome."I was convinced that at any moment, the jig would be up, and I would be unmasked as a fraud," she remarks. "It didn't matter how much success I had achieved or how much positive feedback I received--the feeling persisted." And when Jane Fonda won her second Oscar, she told a talk show host she felt like a phony and feared the Academy would find out how talent-less she was and take the award back. Ryne Sherman of Hogan Assessments told me that approximately 75 to 85% of working adults report feelings of imposter syndrome. Even American author and poet Maya Angelou lamented,'I've run a game on everybody, and they're going to find me out.' Other well-known people like actor Tom Hanks and former First Lady Michelle Obama have also spoken publicly about feeling like an impostor. Imposter syndrome seems to afflict high-performing people and women more than men. Most people who feel like imposters report a nagging voice in their heads that clouds their vision from internalizing success, afraid they might slack off and ultimately flop. So the voice says you have to work harder. Distorted thoughts can make you feel like an impostor, as if you've been able to fool people that you're competent, even though you're not convinced yourself. You think if they knew the truth, you'd be discovered for the fake you are. Most people think of imposter syndrome as a problem to fix, and there's a body of literature on how to overcome or tackle imposter syndrome. But now experts are taking a second look, making a turnaround after research shows that it can be a competitive advantage, especially in leadership roles. Recently, in her Yale commencement address, Dame Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, opened up about experiencing imposter syndrome—even while leading a nation through crisis. Her message was powerful: traits like self-doubt and sensitivity, often perceived as weaknesses, can be essential leadership strengths. 'Imposter syndrome is frequently associated with outcomes most people view as negative: low self-esteem, indecisiveness and fear,' according to Sherman, but he suggests that there are also four surprisingly positive benefits of experiencing imposter thoughts: 1. If you have thoughts of self-doubt or inadequacy, you're more likely to show up as more motivated and having a stronger work ethic than your peers. 'The psychodynamic theorist Alfred Adler noted that fear of failure significantly impacts an individual's motivation, though, as a therapist Adler tried to help his patients overcome fear of failure by developing self-worth,' he explains. 2. If you experience imposter syndrome, you're also likely to become more other-focused versus self-focused. 'When we doubt ourselves, we look to others for feedback about our performance and reassurance,' he points out. 'Such other-focus creates stronger awareness of the reputation we are creating in the eyes of others, rather than on our own self-proclaimed (and potentially wrong) identity." 3. Imposter syndrome is linked to increased interpersonal skill. 'Listening and being attuned to others' emotions is a quintessential feature of emotional intelligence and empathy,' Sherman states. 'Thus, those with imposter syndrome are often skilled at building relationships.' 4. If you have imposter syndrome, you're far less likely to fall into the traps of arrogance and overconfidence. Sherman emphasizes that leaders who are overconfident in their abilities often take on more than can be accomplished, fail to deliver on expectations, take on unnecessary risks and place the blame for failure on others. "Leaders who have some degree of self-doubt are more likely to be viewed as humble and responsible, even if their lack of self-confidence hampers their potential." Michael Sanger, director of assessment solutions for Leadership Development Worldwide at Hogan Assessments declares that imposter syndrome can actually improve your performance, if you're willing to re-frame your perspective. 'Imposter syndrome often signals your willingness to push boundaries because you're stretching yourself outside your comfort zone, so to try to appreciate this as your natural response,' he advises. Positive affirmations are antidotes to imposter syndrome that act as 'cognitive expanders' that help you see the truth about yourself and fuel your performance. They reduce your brain's tunnel vision, broadening your perspective so you can step back from a career challenge, see the big picture of your accomplishments and brainstorm a wide range of possibilities, solutions and opportunities. Another antidote, self-compassion, fuels your job performance and achievement and offsets the self-judgment of the imposter syndrome thoughts. When you're kind toward yourself and accept career letdowns with compassion, you deal only with the stressful experience, not the added negative feelings from your self-judgment that says you're a fraud.
ABC News
01-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Jacinda Ardern on having imposter syndrome and why 'confidence gaps' can be good for leaders
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern says we need to radically re-think our ideas about what makes a successful political leader. "I want to bring into question those old assumptions about the character traits we want in politics," Ms Ardern tells 7.30 in her first Australian TV interview about her new memoir, A Different Kind of Power. Sworn in as PM in 2017 aged 37, Jacinda Ardern became a phenomenon as Jacindamania swept New Zealand then the world, partly in response to her youth but also the highly unusual circumstances of her giving birth while in office (Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto was the only other modern politician to do so, in 1990). Ms Ardern's political achievements were only possible after overcoming deep personal uncertainty about her abilities. "My whole short life," she writes in her memoir, "I'd grappled with the idea that I was never quite good enough, that at any moment I would be caught short." "There are plenty of people who have this experience," Ms Ardern told 7.30. "There just happens to be very few who then share it or talk about it out loud. "I think one of the reasons that we don't discuss, for instance, imposter syndrome, we don't discuss confidence gap, is because people have something to lose in doing so. I don't. "You know, I've had a significant career in politics. I made the decision to leave. There was something very freeing in there and now I feel absolutely able to have this kind of open conversation. "Over time I've seen the strength that comes from what we perceive to be weakness. A confidence gap often leads to humility, a willingness to bring in experts and advisors, and I think ultimately makes you a better decision maker." Having worked in a junior position for former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clarke, Ms Ardern initially regarded herself as too sensitive, too thin-skinned to survive in politics. "Most people would look at politics and say, 'Have I got the armour required to be in that space?' And it was actually when I was in parliament itself that I really made the decision that I wasn't willing to change who I was in order to survive what we might call the bear pit." Ms Ardern said the purpose of writing the book, rather than producing a typical politician's memoir, was to encourage more people to consider entering public life. "I was convinced that if I was going to write anything, it should really be a story about how it feels to lead because you know, who knows who's out there, considering whether or not they have what it takes, considering whether or not they can succeed if they lead with empathy," she said. How it feels to lead included experiencing acute morning sickness just as Ms Ardern was about to be sworn in as prime minister. "I was slumped on the floor thinking, 'what if during this very formal ceremony I can't hold it in?' It's not the kind of thought process you want to go through when you're about to have the speech from the throne, from the then Queen's representative, all the heads of judiciary, the defence force and every single member of parliament sitting in one space facing you." Fortunately for Ms Ardern she got through it. Ms Ardern told 7.30 the reasons why she did not initially make the news of her pregnancy public. "I was in negotiation to become prime minister. That's a particularly delicate time," she said. "Equally ... I knew having just been elected, my priority somehow may have appeared to be misplaced. And I didn't believe that to be true but I felt I needed to demonstrate that was the case before revealing the happy news that I was also going to have a baby." In her meteoric rise to the top of New Zealand politics, Ms Ardern was subjected to plenty of critiques aimed at her gender. While in opposition she was often depicted as a show pony in cartoons and analysis. One female MP described Ms Ardern's appointment as Labor leader a "cosmetic facelift". She pushed back hard on morning radio when a host suggested that as a young woman she was obliged to reveal her reproductive plans. "That is not acceptable!" she thundered at the presenter, repeating the line three times. Along with her descriptions of juggling the demands of national leadership and a baby, the need for nappy bags and breast pumps at international events, Ms Ardern also reveals the importance of the position she held did not make her immune from parental guilt. "Some might think that that's an example of where maybe your guilt should be a little bit lessened because you've got a pretty reasonable excuse to be busy and to not always be there, but my learning was actually it never goes away," she said. The best advice she received was from Buckingham Palace. A pregnant Ms Ardern asked Queen Elizabeth II how she had raised her children as a public figure. The Queen's response was simple: "You just get on with it." And, so, Ms Ardern did. After serving two terms as prime minister, steering New Zealand through the immense demands of COVID, in the economic downturn that followed Ms Ardern's popularity dropped sharply. In January 2023, after nearly six years in office, she made the decision she was spent and wanted to step down. Now on a fellowship at Harvard University in the US, she is focused on the potential for empathetic leadership in politics. The memoir, she says, is part of that. "To share a little bit more about what it looks like behind the scenes in the hope that a few more people who might identify as criers, huggers and worriers might take up the mantle of leadership, because I'd say we need them," she said. Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV Do you know more about this story? Get in touch with 7.30 here.
Washington Post
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Tony Award nominee Marjan Neshat makes history in celebrated Broadway play 'English'
NEW YORK — Marjan Neshat is a veteran of stage and screen who teaches fledgling actors. Like so many of us, she sometimes has bouts of self-doubt. 'I think on the first day of class, I still always have imposter syndrome, but I've grown to live with it,' she says. 'I never thought that I had the gravitas to be like, 'I'm going to teach you acting.''
RNZ News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Jacinda Ardern talks 'imposter syndrome' at Yale University's graduation
Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has spoken about the power of humility that comes with "imposter syndrome", the importance of international cooperation, and the dangers of isolationism in her address at Yale University's graduation ceremony. Ardern's speech also covered the challenges faced during her leadership and the multiple crises the world faces today - from wars, climate change, to a "decreasing regard" for civil rights and human rights - "including the right to be who you are". Her speech was met with applause and cheers from graduates at various points, including when she spoke about New Zealand's ban of semi-automatic weapons following the Christchurch Mosque attacks in 2019. Ardern told graduates that the doubt, sensitivity and humility that comes with "imposter syndrome" shouldn't be seen as weaknesses in leadership, but may have "a power of their own". "It drives you to seek information, to listen to experts who can teach you, and advisors who can guide you," she said. She said she was proud of how New Zealand dealt with the incursion of both Covid-19 and the cattle disease Mycoplasma Bovi, and the approach it took to listen to experts. "I am proud that New Zealand is now on track to be the first country in the world to eradicate and that our approach to Covid saved an estimated 20,000 lives," she said. Ardern also shared her reflections on the current state of the world, and made subtle references to the challenges faced by Americans under its new leadership. She acknowledged the the world is at an inflection point in global politics, following Covid and the economic disruption it brought. "I understand the drive to focus in on ourselves and our own domestic challenges," she said. However, Ardern stressed that what's needed to weather the storms will remain shelter, income safety, and access to health and education. Ardern warned of isolationism being used as a political tool during these difficult times. "In the same way that fear is a tool of politics against our long term self-interest, so is isolationism, the illusion that closing yourself off from the world somehow means you are simply prioritising your own people, because it ignores how connected we are," she said. Ardern shared her observations of the US being "pushed and pulled" between a sense of obligation to its' own country and to the world. She said the two are not necessarily at odds, and international cooperation based on shared values. "Right now we need the power of your imposter syndrome, because it's also your curiosity and your humility. "We need your sensitivity, because it's also your kindness and your empathy. "And most of all, we need your sense of duty to your home and to others. We need all of that," she said.
