We’re All a Bunch of Phonies

You’re heading into work, a little nervous because you have that big presentation today. The boss asked you to give it because you’ve been getting results in that area lately, so you’re to present processes that can be put in place to enhance the department.

You’ve worked hard on your presentation and your boss loved the outline. You can’t help but think, though, that something is wrong.
Your boss, your colleagues, your clients… they’re all wrong.

You’re a swindler.

You’re not qualified for this. Those results were a fluke, and all this praise you’ve been getting is ill-gotten. The boss’ kind words float around your head and you have this firm, underlying feeling that really, you have no idea what you’re doing. You shouldn’t be here.

Someone might stand up in the middle of your presentation and shout, ‘You have no idea what you’re doing!’ Deep down, you think that person would be correct. And it riddles you with fear.

When you suffer from imposter syndrome, you don’t see your achievements for what they are. You don’t accept that you deserve to be where you are. You question your abilities and your knowledge, and you think that on some level you’re faking it all and just haven’t been caught yet. You and your fraudulence are Bonnie and Clyde on a police chase, the police cars edging closer and closer to the back of your Ford.

Above is a snippet from my book released last year, Confidence is Uncomfortable.