How to Crush Imposter Syndrome - WISER Newsletter

Hello 1,592+ friends, it’s Michael here!

Thanks for checking out this issue of the WISER Newsletter!

Let’s get WISER together!

Today’s issue is written by a friend of Wisdom Made Easy: Sohaib Albadawee. Creator of the Growth Tribe, Sohaib has supported us with his expertise in the creator economy.

He usually shares actionable tips to help you excel in the world of a one-person business. But today he's sharing about something that we can all relate to: Imposter Syndrome.

Let's dive in!

How to Crush Imposter Syndrome

Did you ever stop for a second while working or practicing something and a voice in your head said: “You’re a fraud, what are you doing?”

In reality, you are not alone.

According to the US National Institutes of Health, 70+% of people suffer from it at some point in their life.

If you've ever felt that way, you don’t have to worry, I’m here to help:

Here is a practical step-by-step guide on how to crush imposter syndrome:

1️⃣ Identify Your Type of Imposter

Identify which type of imposter applies to you :

• The Genius: You master skills easily & feel ashamed when its hard

• The Expert: You can't execute without knowing everything

• The Perfectionists: You set unrealistic expectations

• The Superhero: The "I must be a workaholic"

• The Soloist: You fear asking for help

The first step is to Identify which of the above 5 imposters applies to you (it can be more than one)

2️⃣ Practice Accepting Compliments

Taking in compliments is empowering, here are 3-ways to do it:

• Write it down

• Pause & take in

• Ask for more details on the reason behind it

3️⃣ Stop Comparing Yourself

Don't compare your struggle to the shine and glory of others.

In reality, most probably they are struggling more than you (behind the scene).

STOP saying to yourself " I should be better/smarter/more successful than X", you’re only competition should be the person in the mirror.

4️⃣ Note Down Your Achievements

Hold on to positive feedback:

• Create a swipe file/folder of positive feedback

• Note down your achievements & testimonials

I have a folder that I go back to whenever I feel my imposter syndrome kicking in.

5️⃣ Become an Iterator

JK Rowling (the author of Harry Potter books) was rejected 12 times and Thomas Edison had +10,000 failures before he succeeded.

Failures are just steps on your way toward success. Embrace failure, and aim to get better over time instead.

6️⃣ Fake It Till You Make It

Starting out Beyonce, Joaquin Phoenix & others invented alter-egos (alternative characters) for themselves.

This alter-ego helped them to become fearless & confident.

You can do the same: create an alter-ego for yourself and assume the character whenever it’s time to perform.

Remember, it’s normal to feel like an imposter and you can always overcome it.

Keep growing.

Hey! It's Michael again!

What a great set of actionable tips, right? As usual, I want to encourage you to reflect on what you've just read, so here's some journal prompts:

❓ What is your experience with imposter syndrome?

• Which of these 6 actionable tips do you resonate with the most?

• When was the last time that you experienced imposter syndrome?

• Can you think of an activity when you experienced imposter syndrome, but now you feel comfortable doing?

✍️ Consider journalling through the above questions yourself.

💬 Also, if you want to chat about this, email or DM us! We’d love to hear from you!

Recommendations

Today I have 3 recommendations for you!

1️⃣ The first recommendation is to check out Sohaib's Growth Tribe.

It features more actionable tips like the ones above, and if you like visuals, you'll love his content too!

Subscribe here:

2️⃣ The second is a discussion between Jay Shetty and Alex Lieberman on the Imposters podcast.

In it, Jay shares his experience with Imposter Syndrome, and how he identifies that he often experiences it when he's on the cusp of growth.

Listen to it here:

3️⃣ The last recommendation is a YouTube video of Natalie Portman's commencement speech at Harvard University in 2015.

In it she shares her experience of imposter syndrome and shares:

"I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director's chair."

To hear more about how she embraces her imposter syndrome, watch here:

* Please note that these may be affiliation links. Purchasing through these links could support Wisdom Made Easy encourage more people to get wiser.

✍️ What We’re Working On

Those of you that tuned in for last week's WISER Newsletter will know that we finally released The Wise Guide to Journaling. We have been overwhelmed with how supportive you have all been with the purchasing of our first e-book.

We want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU. We love that we get to spend time making resources like this that encourage you to get wiser.

If you'd like to check it out for yourself, you can buy a copy here:

We have a few other resources and projects that we're working on at the moment, but we'll share more details as and when they are available! Watch this space!

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😊 Thank You!

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Catch you in the next issue!

Thanks,

Michael and Zac!