Impostor Syndrome in Business

We are halfway through July, more than halfway through 2019! Can you believe it? It seems like time only speeds up and never slows down, at least for me that is. This year has been one of great learning so far, and hopefully more continued learning.

One topic that I have found fascinating is that of Impostor Syndrome. This topic came to my mind today as I came to work in a suit this morning, something I rarely do since we have a more casual dress code. As I am walking around the office and getting complements on my outfit, I begin to feel a bit uneasy; like this is not something that should be happening to me.  Which brings me to my point today, how imposter syndrome can affect your business.

People who suffer from impostor syndrome tend to strive for perfection in nearly every aspect of their lives, while diminishing the work that they have already accomplished. If you are an entrepreneur, this does not bode well for you. Yes, you should care about the little details and making sure that everything is done correctly, however, the need for everything to be perfect before you make a move can mean that you never get started. Sometimes you just need to sit down with someone who can tell you that YOU  HAVE THIS and it is okay to not be perfect.

Another aspect of impostor syndrome is dismissing your accomplishments. If you run your own business then dismissing your own accomplishments and those of your business can be incredibly detrimental. One thing that you never want to do with your business is say that it is only doing so well because of a specific client, a situation, or just luck. Accept that you worked hard and that your hard work is making your business successful! Be accountable in the good and the bad! Yes, you may be more successful because a client referred three more clients to you, but you did the initial work in gaining that first client.

We all suffer from impostor syndrome to a degree, some more than others. We do not want people to know that we might not know it all. And that thought scares us, even more so when we are trying to run a business. So, take a breath and realize that it is okay to not know it all, and that you can and WILL be successful if you take control of the situations that you can control.

While I may not be able to help you with your feeling of impostor syndrome, I can help you market your business in a way that shows confidence to your clients. If you are looking for new ideas on marketing strategy, research, or need someone to run a marketing campaign for you, leave a comment below or send me an email at reagan.a.95@gmail.com! If we are not connected on LinkedIn, please send me a request! I look forward to meeting you!

Best,

Reagan