Have You Ever Felt Like an Imposter?

02 Jul Have You Ever Felt Like an Imposter?

I have. For the first few years of my business here in Phoenix, I really felt like an imposter. I had moved to Phoenix from Toronto where I had a very successful consulting business. I knew I had the talent and the ability to help business owners make more money, but things weren’t jiving in Phoenix. It was a completely different market and small businesses were different from what I was familiar with.

I didn’t have a referral network in Phoenix, so it was up to me to generate leads and convert them. That was something new to me and out of my comfort zone.

Like any business owner, I didn’t want people to think I was struggling so I put up a front and made it look like everything was great.

By Year 3, my business still hadn’t hit 6-figures and I was considering looking for a job. Oh no, just the thought of it had set my stomach into knots. Entrepreneurship is hard. The hours are long – (here I am at 10:08 pm writing this story) – but we do it because we are passionate and know that we’re changing the lives of our clients.

Many women – both business owners and employees – suffer from imposter syndrome. We’re hard on ourselves. We expect ourselves to know everything. We feel inadequate when we don’t have all the answers. According to a Harvard Business Review article “Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified” states that men apply for jobs when they meet only 60% of the qualification, but women only apply if they meet 100%. The article talks about how the beliefs women hold stop them from taking certain actions – in this case applying for a job they are interested in.

So why do we play the imposter game? Why do women want people to believe that they are someone they aren’t? Because of the beliefs, we create in our mind. I believed that I had to come across as successful. I couldn’t admit I was struggling.

When I started to use some of my coaching tools to get past these beliefs, I was able to ask people for help. Things started to change for the better.

Once women start to realize that they are their greatest hurdle to their success, maybe they will be more open to seeking help, gaining new tools to help them step out of their comfort zone. Life should be lived to it’s fullest. That happens when you feel fulfilled in your work and are paid what you are worth.

Are you ready to take off your imposter mask? Let’s talk – https://Calendly.com/cgordon