Unshackling Imposter Syndrome
What we dive into in this episode:
- Understanding God’s love
- Redefining your weakness
- Setting boundaries around comparison
- Leaning on the support of like-minded friends
- Controlling your mindset
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Where does self-doubt come from?
Self-doubt is also known as imposter syndrome. But what is imposter syndrome? “It is the persistent inability to believe one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved due to one’s own efforts or skills.” So, how does that affect us as entrepreneurial women of faith? For Noel, it is that uncomfortable feeling that you experience when you think that you are unqualified.
What is imposter syndrome at work for Haley? Haley’s industry is fast-paced, and she is always seeking to support brands, but imposter syndrome slaps her in the face, too. Haley’s job as a copywriter is a very saturated position, so it’s hard to break into that industry and feel confident. As a small-town girl working with bigger brands, she often thinks about how she got there. At times it’s like “Am I just tricking people?” but no, she’s done the hard work, learned her craft, and gotten results for her clients. It’s just imposter syndrome sneaking in. To overcome imposter syndrome, you have to look at the facts and what God says to you. Imposter syndrome ties deeply into who you believe you are in Christ. We have to constantly renew our minds with who and what God says we are. Comparison is the thief of joy.
Noel offers advice only to follow people on social media who inspire you, not people who feel like you are in competition or who you compare yourself to. Unfollow people! There is freedom in unfollowing people. For Noel, imposter syndrome comes in by constantly comparing herself to other influencers. When you stop answering to those insecurities and weaknesses, they stop having power over you. You must be neutral about these thoughts and not dwell on them because what you feed will grow. He doesn’t call the qualified; the called become qualified.
“Walk into the room like God sent you there.”
But what does the bible say about self-doubt?
Taking a look at a lot of highly respected bible characters; they were typically unqualified. Moses was a reluctant leader; Abraham lied about his wife being his sister; Noah laid about drunk and naked; Paul murdered Christians, and he is the worst of them all. None of them were qualified, and they had their problems, but they became some of the most powerful leaders in the Bible. They had a lot of times, they did not feel qualified; they had imposter syndrome. Paul, especially, because he persecuted Christians and became the biggest witness for Christ. Look at their impact; they accepted who God said they would be and learned to tame their mind. They learned to walk with authority and purpose. They learned to walk in a room with their head held high, and we are still talking about them however many years later. You disqualify yourself because you feel like you cannot be you, but seeing how these men were used in the bible, it is great to remember that if they can be used, we can too.
How to overcome imposter syndrome:
- Understanding weakness doesn’t disqualify us – redefining your weakness, think about Moses and how he stuttered, yet God still used him. How he thought his weakness would disqualify him, but it did not
- Lean on the support of like-minded people. Maybe they have been there, and they may not see in themself.
- Take your thoughts captive. Your mindset is everything. Knowing your worth is tied to that mindset, and it can make or break you in your life. It can scale you to new heights or trap you in imposter syndrome.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”—When imposter syndrome takes hold of you, you take hold of it.”
Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.”
