ARTICLE
How to burn brighter than your Imposter Syndrome R
ecently, I had the pleasure of speaking at a webinar as part of the ‘Supporting Surrey’ Programme.
When Helen Opie asked me to submit an article for the Surrey Lawyer Magazine by way of a follow up, I thought ‘I’m no good at writing articles!’. Well, hello again my dear friend – Imposter Syndrome! Isn’t that often the case? An exciting opportunity comes your way and there’s that voice, telling you that you are not good enough, you don’t have what it takes. You may relate to the following ways imposter syndrome gets in the way of burning bright in your legal career: – the voice in your head that says, ‘don’t put yourself forward for that opportunity, you don’t have what it takes.’ – It prevents you from telling someone you are struggling because you don’t want them to think you cannot cope – It’s the comparison monster that looks at what others are doing and achieving around you and tells you that you just don’t measure up. We can all be triggered by imposter syndrome. The key is what you do when that happens. Here are my three top tips on how to burn brighter than your imposter syndrome. Get clear on your why Ask yourself – what is it about my legal career that I’m passionate about? Being super clear about your why will carry you through those days when imposter syndrome strikes. Your ‘Why’ will give you the strength to push forward through the fear and doubt and keep going, no matter what. Many of us have an idea of our why but often it is only surface level. We never consider the deeper why underneath it, even though that is where the real power and motivation lies. So, get clear on why you do what you do, the deeper why, and remind yourself of that every day. 34 | SURREYLAWYER
