You’ve landed the role, nailed your KPIs, and are well-liked by your peers, so why do you still sometimes feel like a fraud?
Maybe you worry that it's a matter of time before your colleagues discover that you're just not that good… Or maybe it’s not imposter syndrome at all, but a deeper limiting belief that whispers “you’re not enough” – not smart enough, not strategic enough, not good enough.
Maybe you push those thoughts down and work harder.
But maybe they've prevented you from going for that big promotion or putting your name forward for a new role.
If that's you, I hope to change your mind on this today. Because the last thing you want to do is take yourself out of the race.
So today, let’s unpack both and learn exactly how to rewrite those narratives so you can show up as the confident leader you truly are.
Why you're feeling like a fraud
I still remember the first time I read about imposter syndrome in Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. I'd never heard of it before, but I'd definitely felt it!
I’d get promoted and think, “How did I get myself into this? I'm clearly not ready for this role.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone: 75% of women executives report feeling imposter syndrome, and 82% of people experience it at some point.
Here's the irony: The definition of imposter syndrome is feeling like a fraud despite consistent and objective achievement! Which means if you're feeling this way, you're an achiever.
Imposter Syndrome: A new reframe
Often when we feel imposter syndrome, our first instinct is to believe it means that we don't belong in our role or we're out of our league. I want to gently challenge this thought.
Here's an analogy I love to explain this shift:
When you're working out and building muscle, it feels uncomfortable. You feel sore after a great workout, and often we see this as a sign that it's working. It's the same with our mental growth – it feels uncomfortable! So instead of assuming your discomfort means you're not ready, assume it means you're growing and getting better.
When that doubt creeps in, try this mental pivot:
- Acknowledge the feeling. “Yep, I feel like a fraud right now.”
- Reframe the message. “This discomfort means I’m learning and stretching.”
- Affirm your progress. “I’ve succeeded before; I’ll figure this out too.”
That subtle shift is often all we need to push through and level up in our new role or environment.
Limiting beliefs: the stories that hold you back
Limiting beliefs are different. Instead of being caused by a new environment or challenging role, they come from our life experiences. It may have been a one-off comment or a repeated criticism, but that event became a belief that you started to treat as a fact.
The likelihood of an event creating a limiting belief is based on the intensity and/or frequency of the event.
And here's the thing: we all have these beliefs, and many of us never challenge them! But when we do, we often learn that they aren't facts at all… they are stories that have held us back from pursuing our goals.
The good news is, you can rewrite these stories.
Your 4-step journaling exercise
Grab a notebook or your free worksheet (below), and work through these prompts:
- Name the belief. These often sound like, “I can't...” or “I'm not good enough to…“
- Unpack it. Who or what first planted that idea? Go back to that memory and write it out, including why it had such an impact.
- Challenge it. What evidence * disproves* this belief? Who would argue against it?
- Reframe with purpose. Write a new statement, e.g. “I’m building my strategic muscle, and I’ve already delivered results.”
Do this for each belief that you can think of. You can even turn your new narratives into daily affirmations that you repeat to yourself. At the end of the day, our brain will believe what we tell it!
A gift for you: One-pager & worksheet
I’ve created a one-page info sheet on Imposter Syndrome & Limiting Beliefs, plus a worksheet with the journaling prompts you need to unpack your limiting beliefs, that I wanted to share with you as a thank you for being part of my newsletter community.
Limiting beliefs + worksheet.pdf
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Until next time friends… ✌️💜
Katy
