From Fraud to Fuel

When you lean into imposter syndrome, you unlock unexpected growth

I doubt myself regularly and if you never do, you're likely working well inside your comfort zone.

I've had two different professional roles in the last few years and the prelude to starting both roles has been similar; excitement liberally threaded with nerves. I mean those nerves that sit in the pit of your stomach, churning from one moment to next, but never really leaving.

Once I’m into the swing of things, that feeling often sharpens before subsiding. I second-guess my decisions for a while and I silently wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew. I sense what I’m lacking more than what I’m offering and that feeling builds in the background like I’ve stepped into something larger than I’m ready for. Eventually, like all strong emotions, it fades, making space for me to contribute productively in my new role.

That's imposter syndrome. Most people know it and while I haven't figured it out entirely, I'm establishing a more constructive relationship with it.

For too long imposter syndrome has been viewed in a villainous light, as though it's a sign that you’re not ready or that you’ve somehow overreached your experience or ability. The uncomfortable emotions it triggers awaken our primitive flight or fight response, instinctively urging us to quash or dodge it with speed and vigour.

However, I'm learning that reflex is futile and counter-productive. Imposter syndrome is trying to tell you something. Routinely it’s a form of self-awareness and it surfaces when your subconscious senses the gap between where you are and what the situation demands. Imposter syndrome arises when you’re operating at the edge of your capability, where outcomes aren’t guaranteed and the path ahead is unclear. It thrives on the uncertain and is fuelled by the unknown.

If you never experience imposter syndrome, there’s a strong chance you’re working within a range you’ve already mastered. You’ve seen the problems before and you generally know how things play out but you’re relying on experience rather than growing. While that feels good in the short term, it rarely leads to meaningful growth.

Growth costs, and discomfort is part of that cost. Imposter syndrome is usually the emotional signal that you’ve stepped into an uncomfortable space, and we should learn to sit with that discomfort. It is not the feeling itself that's the problem, but how you respond to it. Some may pull away and become more prudent. They keep quiet when they should contribute, postpone decisions they know they can make, or over-prepare almost obsessively. They wait for confidence to come before taking action and their growth stalls.

A more helpful approach is seeing imposter syndrome as a signal to be welcomed rather than something to eradicate or run from. If you feel out of your depth, it’s worth asking yourself why. In some cases, there’s a genuine skill gap that needs attention by building capability, seeking feedback, or asking better questions. In other cases, the capability is already there, but you haven’t built enough evidence to trust it yet and imposter syndrome will pounce and compound this doubt. That gap your subconscious senses only closes through exposure, repetition, and action.

Many people get stuck, assuming confidence should come first, when in reality, confidence follows action. You don’t build belief by waiting, you build it by doing. Each time you step forward, despite the discomfort, you create another small piece of evidence that you can handle what’s in front of you and eventually your subconscious catches up.

So the goal isn’t to rid yourself of imposter syndrome, it’s to change your relationship with it.

The key question is whether you’re willing to persevere while the discomfort lingers, because if you’re serious about growth, it will keep showing up from time to time. When it does, you can either retreat or view it as a signal to grow.

If you persevere the odds are good that success is waiting for you on the other side. A level of capability, confidence, or perspective that you don’t yet have are often waiting to reward your perseverance in the face of imposter syndrome.

Granted, my research involves a mere study of one; me. But in the case of both roles I've held in recent years I've made it out the other side. Have I become a master overnight? Far from it, but on both occasions I've emerged with greater awareness of gaps in capability and expertise, with a clear view to growth.

Imposter syndrome isn't shouting retreat, it's signalling that you're exactly where you need to be.