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Unmasking Imposter Syndrome: 3 Strategies to Eliminate It Now

People with imposter syndrome are riddled with unfounded feelings of self-doubt, insecurity, incompetence, and shame.

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Although imposter syndrome is not an official psychiatric diagnosis, the impact is widely recognized by psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors who assist people who believe that they are imposters in their own lives.

People with imposter syndrome are riddled with unfounded feelings of self-doubt, insecurity, incompetence, and shame. They wear a metaphorical mask and live in fear of being found out. 

Even as they grow weary of their need to be people pleasers and workaholics, and their compulsion to appear invincible, their mask is so tightly affixed that it blinds them to the fact that their thoughts are distorted and their brains have tricked them into believing that they lack skills, talents, and worth. 

The condition is pervasive. An estimated 70 percent of all people suffer from imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. It affects both men and women in similar proportions. When it infiltrates lives, it can become dangerous for careers, relationships, health, and well-being. 

But it is possible to crack the mask. I was personally forced to confront it when my attempts to mask a life-threatening disease caused me several months of recovery and nearly cost me my life. Before hitting rock bottom, however, those hiding behind their disguise can take action by embarking on a journey of self-discovery. 

The process isn’t a quick flip of the switch. It will require rewiring many entrenched mental patterns. But with persistence and determination, the mask will fall away and a confident, multifaceted, wonderfully authentic being will emerge. 

Incorporate the self-awareness mindsets below to unmask your true self and allow it to shine:

1. Learn to let go of the past

Negative experiences can become engrained in our subconscious and ultimately affect how we think and behave. To heal and move forward, it’s important to identify these experiences and actively work on rewriting the beliefs that have been instilled in us. 

For me, the genesis of my imposter syndrome reached back to when I was 6 years old and writhing in pain from a stomach ache (in my later years diagnosed as hereditary chronic pancreatitis). My mother believed I was lying so I wouldn’t have to go to school. I started to doubt my pain, and essentially myself. 

I started to develop all the symptoms of imposter syndrome — self-doubt, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and feelings of being a fraud. Recognizing the power of my subconscious mind and learning to let go of the past helped me to move on.

2. Challenge your beliefs

To change your beliefs, you need to start cultivating self-awareness. Opening yourself to self-awareness equips you to understand which beliefs in your subconscious are responsible for your imposter syndrome. 

Once you discover these beliefs aren’t rational, challenge them. When you think you’re not good enough, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “Why do I believe this? What evidence supports this?” 

Remind yourself of all the hard work you’ve put in and all that you’ve accomplished. 

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” — John Wooden

3. Find the upside of failure

One cause for imposter syndrome is a fear of failure. But fearing failure can sabotage you in many aspects of your life. At work, it leads to avoiding big projects in favor of menial tasks. It keeps you from voicing an opinion and taking risks. 

Soon your manager will avoid involving you as you see to be too busy with insignificant work and uninterested in collaborating on big projects. You must change this mindset and recognize that those who never fail never win. 

When you fail, you learn, and when you learn, you improve. Ultimately, you can only be happy if you’re living your life authentically — mistakes and failures included. 

When you open yourself to self-awareness, you become better equipped to understand which beliefs engraved in your subconscious mind are responsible for your imposter syndrome. 

With your new understanding, the mask you’ve hidden behind will crack, allowing your true self to emerge free from imposter syndrome’s oppressive disguise. 

Coline Monsarrat is a passionate author driven by a mission to help others thrive. She weaves captivating stories that transcend boundaries. Whether through her insightful nonfiction work or the adventure MG book series, Aria & Liam, she imparts valuable wisdom that inspires readers to overcome challenges and embrace their potential. Her new book, You Are Not an Imposter: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Unlock Your True Potential So You Can Thrive (Apicem Publishing, April 11, 2023), offers a powerful and personal exploration of this all-too-common condition. Learn more at youarenotanimposter.com.

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Success Advice

Mastering Self-Management for Success: Lessons From Peter F. Drucker

With careers no longer following a straight, predictable path, self-awareness and adaptability are essential for success.

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Peter f drucker lessons
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In today’s dynamic professional world, self-management has become increasingly important. With careers no longer following a straight, predictable path, self-awareness and adaptability are essential for success. (more…)

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How to Ignite the Spark Within for Future Success

All of us come to this world with our own reserve of magic unfortunately, not everyone can unleash it

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What is it that makes some people great leaders while others remain followers? What magic do they have that others don’t? What special blessing gives them the power to bring significant change?  (more…)

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How Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success

Your life is dictated by beliefs and biases that drive your thinking, behaviors, and decisions

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Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success (1)
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Pause for a moment and ponder two pandemic-era beliefs: First, closing schools will control the spread of a serious virus. Second, the consequences of such school closures—particularly social interruption and the prevention of immunity—are worse than becoming sick with the virus. (more…)

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How to Break the Cycles of Mediocrity and Manifest Your Greatness

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

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In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.

I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.

I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.

As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.

I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness

Everything legal must come through the matrix

I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.

The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.

Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.

The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be. 

Every matrix has an incubation process

While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.

In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.

What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.

However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.

Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time. 

“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier

You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time

When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.

The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?

First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.

In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.

For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.

For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.

Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.

You must manifest your greatness

As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.

I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.

Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.

When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.

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