Imposter Syndrome

The "Imposter Syndrome" is when a person feels they don't deserve a title or identity because they are not the best in their field, or because they feel they lack some form of credential, whether the credential is necessary or not. They are the kind of people who say they are an artist on-the-side, or that they have a side-business. They believe that because they aren't making a living off of their art, that they can't call themselves an artist. Because they haven't made a million dollars off their business idea, they are afraid to identify themselves with their business. Because they haven't published a book, they don't want to consider themselves an expert.

Here's a simple tip: if you aren't confident in who you are, your customers won't be either. If you feel like an imposter, your customers will treat you like an imposter. If you want people to treat you as an authority, you have to start thinking, speaking, and behaving like an authority. Don't wait for others to recognize you as an authority. Don't set-up some convoluted standard, like being the best in a field. You either believe you are an authority, or you don't. The only way to get over the "Imposter Syndrome" is to be confident about and be committed to who you are and who you want to be.