Have you ever sidled up to a Pac-Man game and seen the demo playing and started moving the joystick, and the little guys continue to eat up the ghosts and you keep moving the stick like you’re helping? Yeah, that’s kind of like life.
Starting a new job, or taking on new responsibilities, can be intimidating—particularly if you’re a high achiever. Being able to fake self-confidence is all anyone really needs to get past “imposter syndrome.” Even if you are unsure of what is going on, or you think it’s over your head, it probably isn’t. Learning new skills takes time. Now is the time to fake it.
Here are three things you can memorize (bookmark, refer back to frequently) to help you fight imposter syndrome:
1. You are your biggest critic. Remind yourself, daily if you need it, that you can do this!
2. Recognize your worth. Know that you were put in this position because someone else thought you could do it. Be confident in your skills and knowledge.
3. You are not alone. Take a look around. At some point during their careers, the people around you have “faked it” at one time or another. In fact, they might be faking it right now.
The bottom line: You’re not inadequate. You’re not a fraud. Once you’re comfortable enough owning your successes as you are your mistakes, it won’t be so bad. Take solace in knowing your boss or CEO has had to learn something new too, and they weren’t perfect the first time around.
