3 Proven Steps to Banish Imposter Syndrome

We all have that inner Critic. If you are reading this, yours may be working overtime. Usually, the Critic is strongest when you are on the brink of something big. If you have no resistance, it’s unlikely that you are learning or growing. 

When I became an entrepreneur, I experienced the heavy burden of my internal Critic: “Who do you think you are to help others achieve their big bold goals or overcome obstacles?” “Who are you to speak to a crowd?” “Who are you to coach leaders and teams?” “You aren’t a salesperson!” “You’ve never done ___ before!” Or worse, I imagined everyone else thinking this things about me. (It’s remarkable how vivid my imagination can get when left unsupervised!)

I got tired of the discouragement and hiding. So I engaged with the Critic. Was that a question? Here’s the answer! Is that statement true? Let’s investigate.

I started by answering the question: Who do you think you are? I used evidence accumulated over a long and successful career. 

• I had already done all these things many times over! I spent the last 25 years coaching and teaching C-suite and front-line leaders inside and outside my place of employment.

• Leaders consistently came to me asking for guidance and advice.

• The programs I developed or introduced lead to great business results AND participants applied the learning to their home life, making that better, too!

• I’d been invited several times to speak in forums outside my employer as a subject matter expert. And I’ve been told I should do it more often.

• I had plenty of evidence to support my case. 

Once I started the success list, I built momentum. Who do I think I am? There you go, Critic. And satisfied with an answer, the Critic backed down.

I shifted my focus from “You’re probably right” to “Let’s answer the question.” I shifted my doubts to possibilities. I tapped into my positive track record. If I was missing knowledge or experience, I made a plan to close the gap. I channeled my energy from discouragement to curiosity and laser-focused action.

If I could tame my inner Critic in this way, so can you!

Instead of believing the critic or interpreting the questions as accusations, I stopped giving my Critic the fuel to ignite my fear and doubt. 

Use the fuel to ignite courage, confidence, and focused action. 

Through this experience, I learned a few strategies to banish imposter syndrome once and for all. Then I did some research – sure enough, there was something to these strategies. I shared the strategies with clients who also broke free from their inner Critic. That’s why I know these strategies can work for you, too.

Don’t confuse the Critic with Imposter Syndrome.

Your inner Critic is nothing more than thoughts. Those thoughts often generate fear, self-doubt, and self-sabotage.  Connecting an emotion to a thought does not make the thought true. Challenge the thoughts. Learn to ask better questions. This empowers you over the Critic. 

Imposter Syndrome isn’t a medical diagnosis. It’s simply a pattern of thinking that you allow to keep you from moving closer to your goals and your best life. 

You will never completely stop the inner Critic. It can even be useful. It’s only problematic when you create a habit of surrendering your power to the inner Critic’s lies suggestions. Surrendering your power means giving up, hiding, or fighting back. You may not consider fighting back “surrendering your power,” but you are surrendering your energy. Energy you could be using to fuel creativity, curiosity, and laser-focused action. 

Banish Imposter Syndrome with these 3 Key Strategies

While they can work independently, putting them together packs a bigger punch! Try this the next time you hear the Critic:

1. Stop. Bring your attention to your breath. Inhale slowly for a count of 4. Now slowly exhale for a count of 4. Repeat 4 times as you continue to focus on your breath. This calms both you and your Critic. 

2. Address the Critic. That Critic has one job – to make you question and doubt everything outside your comfort zone. By answering the questions your Critic poses, you give the Critic the attention it craves without giving it power over you. In my story, those bullets were the answer to my Critic. Since it wasn’t expecting an answer, it didn’t know what to do with my response! So it quieted down. Or maybe it said, “Good! I’m glad you thought that through before proceeding.” The more you give in to, ignore, or argue with the Critic, the stronger it will become.

3. Thank your Critic. Then get to work on creating a solution.  My Critic reminded me where I lacked experience or knowledge. Sometimes it was right. But I couldn't know this until I got clear on the nature of the gap so I could get to work on building a bridge or filling in the cracks.  Either answer the Critic with data, better questions, or a solution.

Thought by thought, you can reframe the Critic’s arguments. Don’t be afraid the Critic will win. Come at it from a place of curiosity and creativity rather than fear and doubt. The only way the Critic wins is if you decide not to act on your big dreams and aspirations out of fear or doubt. 

In summary – to quiet the inner Critic and banish Imposter Syndrome:

1. Recognize the voice of the Critic. Stop. Breathe. 

2. Address the Critic. When your Critic feels understood, it will quiet down. 

3. Thank your Critic for bringing awareness of the risks. Then get to work mitigating them.

Are you committed to quieting the Critic? Follow these 3 Steps every time you become aware of the Critic’s message. Use a journal or a trusted coach/advisor to walk through the process.

When you practice these 3 Steps consistently over time, you’ll find the Critic shows up less often and when it does, the power over you will be substantially weaker. You can simply say, “Hello, Critic! I was expecting you. Let’s play!”

If your inner Critic has a strong hold on you, you aren’t alone. If you’d like some help with this, let’s talk. Schedule a complimentary coaching session today.