Have you heard of imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the name that culturally we have given to the sense of not feeling worthy of our accomplishments. It is not to be mistaken with humility, which brings a healthy balance to our lives. Imposter syndrome is something that has its roots in self-doubt and mental self-sabotage, despite evidence to the contrary. The net effect is that we feel like a fraud, that our achievements are illegitimate and irrational feelings of anxiety or paranoia can become an everyday part of our lives. Essentially, our confidence takes a big hit and we stop living in the fullness of purpose God has for our lives. It is the lie that I am not good enough.
Imposter syndrome is something that lives in your head and gets more powerful as you listen to the lie on repeat that you don’t belong here, you are not good enough and everyone around you recognizes that it is only a matter of time until you are discovered on these charges. The Bible recognizes that your enemy will use these lies and mind games to take you out of God’s will. Romans 12 is a key to transforming your thinking to align yourself with what God says about you. The result of this action is that you will walk in the purpose God has for your life.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
You cannot count on someone else to give you self-confidence.
When we allow imposter syndrome to assume residence in our minds we open ourselves up to a compromised effectiveness. Our decision-making will be hesitant, indecisive, and potentially wrong. We give a place to fear, a fear of making mistakes that makes us risk-averse and will stunt opportunities for growth. Imposter syndrome makes leadership hard as it obscures clarity and conviction. Our employees can be the casualties of lackluster direction resulting in poor morale, productivity, and engagement. Finally, Imposter syndrome can contribute to excessive stress and burnout among business leaders. Constantly feeling the need to prove oneself and the fear of being discovered as a fraud can lead to a relentless pursuit of perfection and workaholic tendencies.
One of the keys to re-writing the internal narrative of our self-talk is to renew our minds with what God says about us. I want to encourage you to download a card I made for myself that helps me recalibrate this wrong thinking when I experience it. It is called Faith Confessions, it is a series of scriptures to build your faith. If you make it a pattern of your life, the word of God will become the new self-talk of your life, and the word of God produces life.
It can be tempting to look to other people for the self-confidence you feel you lack. However, the truth is when you are the leader, owner, or entrepreneur very often you are the only one that can provide the lifeline that you need. David found himself at an all-time low, he had failed the men that were following him, and their wives and children had been captured. He had no friend or mentor to encourage him, but rather than beating himself up about his position, he turned to something more powerful:
“And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
1 Samuel 30:6 ESV
The ability to strengthen yourself in the Lord is crucial for leaders. Everyone feels discouraged at some point. Do not tune your heart and mind to the soundtrack of discouragement. Instead, strengthen yourself in the Lord. Do not align your life with the lies of the enemy, rather align yourself with the victory of Jesus, the one who makes us worthy in the sight of God.
