HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED IMPOSTER SYNDROME?

I spoke to a friend yesterday (one of my many peer mentors), and as I was hemming and hawing about the pros and cons of pursuing some opportunity, he stopped me and exclaimed "What is up with you and the imposter syndrome?! You're awesome and a great leader and you can do anything! I don't get it."

Well, I have to say his comments were both uplifting AND deflating. Uplifting in the sense that he believed in me enough to tell me what he thought. Deflating as I questioned myself - why DO I do that?

I've heard many things about imposter syndrome:
Don't do it!
OR
It's not real!
OR
All it means is that you're trying something new/hard, which is a good thing!

After sleeping on it, all of the above feels true. Call it what you want, but it's me being nervous about something that is likely to be challenging, and thinking through the possibilities before I dive in (like the Myers-Briggs "J" that I am!).

This quality is also something that makes me a successful academic, a great mom, and an effective employee. For example, when I first started my doctoral program, I was nervous about all of the reading, so I researched and made sure I had the tools I needed to make it easier for me. When I got pregnant, I didn’t know a THING about babies, so I educated myself with books and by speaking with other mothers. You get the idea. I think the key thing is to not let the anxiety overwhelm you into being unproductive or unhealthy. And, to make decisions based on your own values and not those of others.

“Imposter syndrome” is part of the key to my success, so why run away from it?