Here's why Imposter Syndrome is actually a good sign

It doesn't mean what we think it means

The Internet hive mind loves to hate on Imposter Syndrome.

I get it. Imposter Syndrome sucks. It’s uncomfortable. It keeps us stuck and small and makes us question everything we thought we were good at.

Who wouldn’t hate feeling that?

I’ve got a powerful reframe for you: Imposter Syndrome is a sign that you’re gifting your heart’s work to the world.

We don’t feel Imposter Syndrome when we’re safely ensconced in our comfort zones. We feel it when we’re stretching ourselves, taking up space, testing our limits and taking creative risks. That’s when the voice appears, saying things like:

What if people hate it? What if you offend someone? What if others don’t respect you anymore? What if they say mean things? What if your friends all secretly think you’re a talentless hack? That sounds awful! We’d better just stay safe and quiet.

Les chuchoteuses (The Gossipers), Montreal

We feel Imposter Syndrome, in other words, when our sense of belonging feels threatened.

This makes so much sense. For most of human history, our literal survival depended on belonging to our communities. Of course we’re exquisitely sensitive to anything that threatens our belonging!

Sharing our heart’s work with the world? Now that’s vulnerable. That’s powerful.

Dangerous things, vulnerability and power. Heart things. Human things.

No wonder Imposter Syndrome shows up here, of all places, to keep us safe from ourselves.

Do you want to be safe? (Yes, of course.) Do you want to share your heart’s work more? (Yes, a thousand times!)

Then maybe Imposter Syndrome isn’t something we have to fear and loathe. Maybe it’s just another signpost, reminding us that we’re on the right path.

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