Everyone In That Meeting Believes You Belong There. Except You.
The Voice That Tells You You're Not Good Enough
You walk into the meeting fully prepared. You know the numbers. You have rehearsed the answers to the hard questions.
And yet, sitting down at the table, one thought keeps creeping in: what if they realise I don’t actually know what I’m doing?
Nobody else in the room seems to be thinking that. They are looking at you, waiting for you to speak, as if it is completely normal that you are there.
Sound familiar?
There is a well-known English phrase for this exact feeling: “imposter syndrome.”
What does it mean?
Imposter syndrome describes the persistent feeling that you don’t deserve your success or your position, even when there is clear evidence that you do.
It has nothing to do with your actual ability. Some of the most capable, experienced professionals in the world describe feeling exactly this way, often right before their biggest moments.
Picture an Actor Backstage
Picture an actor standing backstage, minutes before the curtain rises. Their costume is on. They know every line. They have rehearsed this part for weeks.
And still, a quiet voice says: what if I forget everything the moment I walk out there? What if everyone realises I’m not as good as they think?
The audience has no idea any of this is happening. From where they’re sitting, the actor looks completely ready. That gap, between how prepared you actually are and how unprepared you feel, is imposter syndrome.
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