How to burn brighter than your Imposter Syndrome

ARTICLE

How to burn brighter than your Imposter Syndrome

Recently, 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.

Protect Your Best Asset – YOU

Whatever stage you are at in your career, the learning never stops, it is a forever journey. Read! Read about all sorts of topics, not just your area of specialism. Read about networking, marketing, business development, referrals, personal branding, profit first, growth mindset.

Being a successful lawyer is so much more than knowing the law, it is about you and your ability to interact, relate, influence others. It’s about your resilience and your ability to manage your own state, especially under times of pressure so the more you learn about this, the better.

Be ruthless with your wellbeing. This is essential, especially for those of you with your wellbeing so far down your priority list, it never gets a look in.

The thing is you already know how to do this. Here are some reminders just in case you need a prompt:

Maintain work and life boundaries

Switch off at evenings, weekends and holidays

Take a lunch break, every day

Eat well, sleep well, exercise

Have down time just for you

Don’t underestimate the power this has over imposter syndrome. Every time you prioritise your wellbeing, you tell yourself on a subconscious level that you matter, you are worthy, you are enough.

Ask for help!

Get a coach, a mentor, an accountability buddy, all three! Someone you can talk to who will give you support, understanding and most importantly a safe space to find the answers to the questions/doubts in your mind.

Imposter syndrome gets a grip on you because you are too busy to stop and shine a light on it for what it really is. A false belief, a misguided attempt at trying to keep you safe when it’s actually getting in the way of you fulfilling your potential.

Ask yourself – who do you know who could help you with this? Who could help you on your journey of burning brighter than your imposter syndrome? Then… go and ask them!

These three tips help you to do the best thing you can do when overcoming imposter syndrome. Change your mind about it. Decide that you are going to control your inner critic rather than it controlling you.

Just think about the habitual thought patterns you have about yourself. Chances are a good few of them are negative. Thoughts like – ‘I am not good enough, old enough, young enough, smart enough, rich enough’….and so on. Plus, you may have thought these negative beliefs for so long that they feel ingrained in your total being. You have become them; you simply accept them as true!

At the very basic level, your thoughts shape who you become. So, if you are thinking negative thoughts about yourself, the way you behave and the actions you take are shaped by those thoughts. The outcome then is that you get results which are based on that negative outlook, rather than a positive one!

Knowing that you can ‘change your mind’ is marvellous news. You can change your mind and decide you want to think more positive things about yourself and focus on creating and developing empowering beliefs.

So, I am going to leave you with a short poem that reminds us you can always change your mind!

Watch your thoughts, for they become words Watch your words, for they become actions Watch your actions, for they become habits Watch your habits, for they become character Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny

– Lao Tzu

Donna Smith

Donna Smith

Odonnata Growth & Transformation Coaching