MANAGING IMPOSTER SYNDROME AS A CREATIVE

Imposter syndrome: a psychological pattern where people doubt their accomplishments, skills, and abilities, feeling like frauds who don't deserve their success, despite clear evidence of their competence.

Imposter syndrome is something I have battled my entire life as a creative—and it’s likely something I will continue to struggle with. However, one thing I have come to know in my 27 years, is that the trials themselves are not as salient as how we choose to navigate them. Like the souls who conquer the white rapids that toss them to and fro, only those who brave the waters head-on with confidence in their abilities can overcome—but how do you overcome when that confidence dwindles? How do you learn to manage the seemingly unmanageable?

While every person’s approach to this issue is different, here are some things I try to keep in mind when self-doubt rears its hideous, lying head:

You Are Not Alone.

Having imposter syndrome is an experience most people can probably recount from at some point in their life. You aren’t crazy, and there’s nothing wrong with you. In fact, one could say it’s better to undermine your abilities than to be over-confident, as it shows humility. The issue is not feeling the effects of the imposter, but letting it control you.

You Are Not Your Situation

There are many things that can trigger the feeling of unearned success. For me, the combination of my—rather grand aspirations—the public proclamation of those aspirations, and the recent changes in a workflow I had been perfecting for half a decade—has presented feelings of novitiate.

However, I am more than my situation. My current workflow changes or the knowledge that I am actively working towards my goals does not subtract from the tangible fruits of my labor, nor does it diminish my claim to the knowledge I obtained. I know what I know, and similarly, you know what you know—and regardless of where you are right now, that will never change.

In my life, giving in to the crushing weight of the “imposter”, has only locked me out of opportunities. It kept me closed off. It kept me quiet. It kept me still and stagnant.

When water is stagnant for extended periods, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and toxins—and just like water, when you allow self-doubt to block your movement you will find yourself surrounded by toxicity.

So flow. Let the feeling rush over you—but don’t let it block you.

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