Am I Supposed to Be Here?

Imposter's Syndrome - Benefit or Curse?

I vividly remember the first time I stepped out onto a stage to deliver a keynote speech. I had been hired by an organization to deliver a session on leadership to their annual convention. There were about 500 people in the audience, although it felt like ten thousand at that moment. I was hired in the building phase of my business, when I was still finalizing my approach to the courses I delivered and was building my client base.

The Master of Ceremonies was doing the daily start up, including my introduction. I waited off stage right at the head table with my host. I looked back over the room, surveying the vast space, observing the chatter amongst peers. As I turned back it hit me: that paradoxical moment when you suddenly ask: “Am I supposed to be here?”

I get it! We’ve all had that moment when the questions we ask ourselves are much more complex: “Did I prep correctly?”, “Do I really know what I know?”, “How did I get here?”, “Am I really the right person to deliver this presentation?”

In recent years, these questions we ask ourselves have been wrapped up into a simplified term: Imposters’ Syndrome (IS); that feeling you are not good enough to do what it is you are already doing.

I have yet to meet anyone who has not had at least one moment of IS creep into their career at some point. From startup entrepreneur to executive. When we are stretched, are moving beyond our comfort zone, we naturally question our skills, abilities, or presence of mind.

Is IS good or bad? Neither; it simply is.

Like that moment of sober second thought when you say “what could possibly go wrong?” IS is your subconscious giving you a moment to check in on yourself to ensure you can do what you say you can.

I have friends who allow IS to disarm them by creating stress or anxiety, and I have other friends for who IS is a parting glance back over their shoulders while they are may be moving too rapidly forward.

Regardless of how IS shows up in your life, I maintain that it is a positive opportunity to examine what you are doing, why you are doing it, and to assess if it is what you should be doing.

It is very easy to ignore the natural reflection points in your life when you are busy or stressed. However, listening to that little voice is your chance to check your ego, to ask “why am I doing this?”

For me, IS is the pause, the break in forward momentum when I reflect for a few minutes on what is occurring. Because I am a believer in Servant Leadership and the benefits of helping others achieve their potential, each time IS starts I reflect on what I am doing to add value to the relationship, the situation, or the long-term strategy. In essence I use IS as an opportunity to ensure I am moving in the best way possible.

Here’s what most people need to know about IS. ?Because you are concerned about now providing enough value to a situation, you are exactly the right person to be doing what you are doing.

Yes, occasionally we find ourselves in unforeseen situations. However, the vast majority of times we find ourselves in front of an audience, at a certain meeting, or engaged in activities which make us pause is because we HAVE done the work to be there.

In most cases the reason people are where they are is that they showed up consistently, they provided sound and sober second thought, they have naturally led an initiative or activity. in other words: They did the work.

The next time you find yourself questioning if you are the right one: know you are, and use the opportunity to ensure you add the most value you can to the situation you are in.