Recycling

A while back, on a different email platform, I wrote a piece about impostor syndrome. I actually got a reply from a very well-respected copywriter (won’t say his name, as I’m not into clout like that) saying “That’s the best email I’ve read this year.”

So – I figured I’d try to resurrect it. And, of course, it’s lost in the ether. I was using ActiveCampaign at the time – and since I didn’t need all the features, I let it go. Being as how I’m not the greatest at archiving, nothing got backed up, so… a few years of thoughts out the window. It’s probably for the best.

AAANYWAY…

I’ll do my best to remember the point:

Impostor syndrome is impossible if you’re moving.

If you’re trying.

If you’re growing.

If you’re selling things for what they’re worth – and delivering even more.

If you’re not an impostor.

If you feel impostor syndrome creeping in – that’s actually a really good indicator that you’re out of your depth and you ARE in very real danger of being an impostor.

Don’t wait for validation. Don’t wait to be found out. Don’t wait until you’ve pissed off a client or ruined your reputation.

If you feel it, feel it and figure out why you’re feeling it and then address the reason you’re feeling it.

Selling a course and you’re nervous it’s not worth it? It’s probably not. Reconfigure and learn more and add more until it IS worth it.

Selling a service you’re not sure you can provide? Learn and practice until you CAN provide it on repeat.

Talking to people about a subject and you feel that feeling creeping up? Learn more and practice until you can talk about the subject with fluency and ease.

It’s when you’re standing still that Impostor Syndrome creeps in. It’s when you’re punching up and you’re not ready. It’s when you do something because that’s what everyone is (or says you should be) doing.

In a lot of ways, though – that feeling is an indicator that you need to grow, solidify and advance YOU. Not your product, not your service – YOU.

If you’re growing, you can never experience impostor syndrome. If you’re offering less than you deliver. When you’re good and you blow peoples’ hair back? You cannot feel impostor syndrome.

But – you can’t get good and mess up hairdos if you’re standing still.

So – feeling a bit of worry that you’re not good enough?

You’re not.

Get better.

The other way to beat impostor syndrome (and this is a fresh 2025 addition) is to look at what you do and realize how terrific, deep and broad your experience and ability really is – and to STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO ANYONE ELSE.

If you take a look at what you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished, what you CAN do – and all the unique experiences that go into what you sell to the world… it’s impressive. Even the least among you and the beginners – you’re the product of a life successfully lived, and you’ve done amazing things and put your experiences, ideas and ethos into a package that is completely and utterly unique.

You’re not Dan Henry. Not James PM Gaffney. Not Abraham Lincoln. Not the guy on Facebook who is “crushing it.”

You can’t crush it like that guy. Even if you did, you wouldn’t like it because it’s that guy’s crushing… not yours.

You’re not that guy, and that guy is not you. Comparing the two is apples to oranges – and an apple that wants to be an orange is going to feel pretty unsure of himself… because he will never be an orange.

You’re an apple. Apples are delicious. Oranges are great, too – but you don’t see orange juice made from apples (and vice versa) for a reason.

So – there. Don’t stand still and make sure you give yourself credit for just how great you really are.

That’s all I meant to say, but I told myself I would write more – so I wrote more. Hope you enjoyed it – won’t really change my life much if you didn’t.