Imposter Syndrome
Recognizing When Imposter Syndrome Is About Your Environment, Not Your Ability
I’ve sat in meetings thinking:
How did I even get here?
Not in a proud way.
In a quiet, uneasy way.
I’m leading. Holding people accountable. Driving results.
On paper—I belong.
But internally?
It feels like, at any moment, someone—an attorney, someone twice my age, someone with more experience—is going to realize:
She doesn’t actually know what she’s doing.
That’s imposter syndrome.
It tells you:
- You got here by luck
- You’re not experienced enough
- People don’t take you seriously
- Your mistakes matter more than your wins
And the worst one:
“Everyone is going to find out I’m a fraud.”
The funny thing about imposter syndrome…
You don’t feel it at the beginning.
You feel it when you’ve actually gotten somewhere.
When the stakes are higher.
When the room matters.
So the fact that you feel it?
It means you’ve already come further than you think.
But sometimes… it’s not just in your head.
Sometimes, it’s the room.
I’m a young woman leading people I’m “not supposed” to lead.
People old enough to be my parents—even my grandparents.
Professionals with titles I don’t have.
So the questions get louder:
Why would they listen to you?
You don’t even do what they do.
You’re not anything special.
Then add complicated coworkers.
The ones who interrupt you.
Dismiss your ideas.
Make you feel like you constantly have to prove yourself.
And sometimes—it goes deeper than that.
Insecure people don’t ignore you.
They study you.
They watch your moves.
They wait for mistakes.
Not because you’re failing—
But because your success challenges them.
And suddenly…
“Maybe I don’t know enough.”
“I shouldn’t be in this role.”
So you overwork.
You double-check everything.
You overprepare.
And ironically…
That might be exactly why you’re so good at what you do.
But you still tell yourself:
I got lucky.
Because your internal story hasn’t caught up to your reality.
Here’s the truth:
Not every feeling of inadequacy is about your ability.
Sometimes it’s about your environment.
Yes—you’ve made mistakes.
Yes—you’re still learning.
That doesn’t mean you don’t belong.
It means you’re doing the job.
So how do you fight it?
You remind yourself:
- You have a unique perspective
- You have a unique talent
- You’re not in the room by accident
Imposter syndrome doesn’t mean you don’t belong.
It means you care.
It means you want to be there.
That’s not fraud.
That’s ambition.
And one more thing:
Stop trying to be liked.
You’re not Netflix.
If you wanted everyone to like you, you should’ve worked at an ice cream shop.
Leadership isn’t about being liked—it’s about being respected.
And not everyone is coachable.
Not everyone wants to improve.
Some people just want control.
That has nothing to do with you.
Walk in with confidence—even when you don’t know everything.
Trust that you’ll figure it out.
Own the room.
You earned that seat.
Be okay with being the villain in someone else’s story.
Be okay with being misunderstood if it protects your peace.
Know your worth—even when others question it.
Because at the end of the day…
On the days I doubt myself the most, I’m reminded of who I am when I come home.
When I see my kids laughing.
When I hear them call my name.
To some people, you’re just a person.
But to your kids?
You’re their world.
And I’m pretty sure…
They don’t think you’re an imposter.
