#Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome: You owe me some money.

By: VLW

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I recently stumbled upon an interview with Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, where she spoke to an audience of primarily brown women in Kuala Lumpur about Imposter Syndrome on behalf of the Obama Foundation. During the interview, Michelle was asked how she deals with Imposter Syndrome. She responded by defining it as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success.

Michelle explained that Imposter Syndrome results from chronic self-doubt and intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of our competence. She shared that women often feel Imposter Syndrome because they have high-achieving and highly successful careers. Some researchers have linked it with perfectionism, particularly in women of color who don't feel like they belong in the room. Michelle experienced it when she applied to Princeton, her first choice, and was told by her high school guidance counselor that she should consider community college.

As the nation's first Black First Lady of the United States, Michelle shared how people criticized her for various reasons, such as her attire, body, and communication skills. However, she realized these doubts were unfounded since she was more than qualified. She had earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School practiced corporate law, and held various positions in Chicago's public service sector. Additionally, she grew up in an environment where she received positive affirmation from her parents, brother, and community, who always knew she was enough.

Michelle emphasized that Imposter Syndrome is a result of societal expectations that suggest women don't belong in certain spaces, unlike men, who are typically in the room without questioning their presence. She also noted that Imposter Syndrome could be problematic since it allows doubts and fears to be louder than the support of our loved ones.

What I took from this interview is that Imposter Syndrome is not real, and its existence is perpetuated by the world's tendency to name our natural fears and doubts. Instead, ladies, we must recognize that nobody starts at the top and that growth comes from experiences and opportunities. Innovative companies hire individuals with a vision for long-term growth, meaning that you don't need to have all the answers immediately, but you should be willing to put in the work to get there.

In an OWN spotlight interview with Oprah Winfrey, Quinta Brunson's words changed my life forever. ?She also shared that "I never felt imposter syndrome because I always knew I was a writer and creator," which changed her life. Michelle and Quinta's words should encourage us to remove the term Imposter Syndrome from our vocabulary and to recognize instead that we may not have the experience yet, but we are working on it.

Ladies: The call to action is for us all ladies to stop believing in Imposter Syndrome and to embrace the new, the fears, the lack of experiences, the learning, and the unknown, as they are the secret sauce to our success. Our journey is not about being everything all at once but everything we are laying the foundation for Becoming.