Unmasking The Imposter 2
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If you are a person that takes on big challenges—stepping into roles that require you to grow in order to achieve and succeed, saying yes to opportunity up front and then doing what it takes to make yourself fit for the task—you may often battle with Imposter Syndrome. And you’re in great company; MOST high achievers do.
Ironically, I’ve had conversations with more than a few exceptional leaders that actually expressed fear over being “cured” of Imposter Syndrome because of how motivating it had been throughout their lives; they worried they might not accomplish as much without it. Do you relate?
People rely on Imposter Syndrome, aka Fake It Til You Make It, for success when they fundamentally misunderstand how the process of “becoming” in life works. They operate under a false premise that they can work their way into becoming someone new, and that’s the trap. Life doesn’t actually work that way.
In life, you can't do (work) your way into being. Being comes before doing; always. Doing is an expression of being—flows from being—and as such, every act of doing serves only to deepen and reinforce your sense of who you are already. In other words, not only is there no amount of achievement that will undo or override a sense of being an imposter, the more you achieve as an imposter, the more of an imposter you will inevitably see yourself to be.
Don’t take my word for it. Test it out. Look at your own life. What happens to your sense of being an imposter each time you succeed?
So if you can’t do your way into being, how can you ever become someone new authentically? Today I’ve got a powerful solution for you that will render Fake It Til You Make It completely unnecessary for success. It’s found in the second “way of being” at the heart of Imposter Syndrome: Maturity.
make “fake it til you make it” obsolete
How do you authentically become someone new? First, choose it. A new way of being comes into existence by choosing that it be so for you—lay claim to it as yours. A new way of being can be chosen in any moment and chosen independently from the past. You are under no obligation today to be the person you were yesterday. You have the freedom and capacity to choose being someone you have never been before.
Next, cultivate it. A new way of being must be developed and supported into maturity. Just like all living entities, your new way of being will need to grow over time. That doesn’t mean it’s fake in the beginning; it means it’s young. Or we can say, rather than inauthentic, it’s immature. Making this distinction between immaturity and inauthenticity will save you a ton of turmoil and accelerate your growth—imagine using your energy to learn, practice, and advance rather than hide, cover-up, and pretend.
Becoming Authentically
For the process of becoming someone new, I’d like you to think of it like growing an apple tree from seed. An apple seed must be planted and nurtured in order to grow into a tree. However, the authentic being-ness of the Apple and all of its potential for becoming a mature Apple Tree are present within the seed from the beginning. No amount of cultivation will turn that apple seed into a pear tree. Cultivation reveals what’s inside already; it has no capacity to override what’s already there.
Or look at the human body’s stages of development. Whether as a fetus, an infant, adolescent, or an adult, you and I are authentically human at each and every level of maturity (now, you may disagree with me regarding those teen years, but you get the point). Cultivation doesn’t turn us into being human; it reveals and expresses the human being we always were, are, and continue to be for as long as we walk this earth.
“Use your energy to learn, practice, and advance rather than hide, cover-up, and pretend.”
Likewise, for any new way of being that you generate for yourself, how you show up in infancy will pale in comparison to how you show up in adulthood. Whether you're a newbie or a master of your chosen way of being, you are authentically that being from the moment you choose it for yourself. Really.
As you put this perspective into practice, notice what happens to the power of Imposter Syndrome over your life. Is it still a battle? Is it still your preferred way to achieve? How does seeing success through the lens of Maturity, instead, make a difference in your effectiveness and wellbeing?
Next week we wrap this 3-part Series, Unmasking The Imposter, with the final “way of being” at the heart of Imposter Syndrome: Discomfort. You’re going to love it!
what has me inspired this week?
Who I’m learning from and the experiences impacting my own development. I find great value in them—you may as well.
StraightLine Leadership by Dusan Djukich
Straight Line Leadership is one of the most powerful books on personal and professional transformation that I’ve ever come across. It’s had a profound impact on how I see the world. If you found today’s distinction useful, you’ll love StraightLine Leadership. It’s filled with distinctions that help you quickly see what you haven’t seen before. Get the ebook version through Barnes & Noble.
Physical editions are getting difficult to find. You may have success by contacting the publishing house, Robert Reed Publishers, for help purchasing a copy.
Dusan’s free downloadable resources:
May you prosper in every way!
Becky & TPL Team
52 Maxims of Conscious Choosing To Create the Deeply Satisfying Life You Desire.