Don’t Be An Imposter!

Have you ever felt like you were an imposter? Like the good things that people thought about you would someday be exposed as a lie? Like the accomplishments you’ve been claiming on your resume and in your interviews weren’t really the truth? I mean, they’re true…you’re not lying…but if the REST of the story were fully known, you’d have to confess that so many other variables were at play that maybe / perhaps / probably YOU weren’t the initiator of that achievement. Like the wholesome, kind, and integrity-filled life you’ve managed to portray would someday be revealed as simply a facade, like the Wizard of Oz, there’s a different person behind the curtain.

If you’re like me, you’ve felt that way before. Indeed, maybe you feel that way right now? In your unemployment or in the midst of being unfulfilled, perhaps this thinking and feeling keep ebbing back into your persona, undermining your confidence and hindering how you describe yourself?

What is Imposter Syndrome?

If so, welcome to the club. Research shows that over 75% of us experience some degree of what’s called imposter syndrome at some point in our careers. Imposter syndrome “is a psychological experience of intellectual and professional fraudulence.” One source defines it as “the subjective experience of perceived self-doubt in one’s abilities and accomplishments compared with others, despite evidence to suggest the contrary.” (Wikipedia)  

While not considered a recognized psychiatric disorder, much research and literature exists about its presence in our behavioral schematic. The most common reference to it in the psychiatric world is a “thought distortion.” (See our blog HERE for more on that).

Some very well-known, high achievers have confessed falling victim to this distorted thinking. Howard Schultz, the chair, president, and CEO of Starbucks revealed that he, and CEOs he knows, feel the same way: “Very few people, whether you’ve been in that job before or not, get into the seat and believe today that they are not qualified to be the CEO. They’re not going to tell you that, but it’s true.” I’ll spare you the list of many other well-known people who confess to this issue. 🙂

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

So, the reality is that many of us experience this thought distortion.  What should we and can we do about it?!?

I recently heard a “Daily Dose” broadcast from my pastor at North Coast Church, Pastor Chris Brown, that I think hits this issue head on! You can hear the entire 5 minutes HERE, but here are a few highlights that struck me to help us combat the thought distortion of being seen as an imposter.

Let’s go to the familiar Bible story of David and Goliath, and pick up Scripture where David is preparing to meet Israel’s enemy. 1 Samuel 17:38-41 tells us, “Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” And we all know the rest of the story! 🙂

David knew what a warrior looked like and did…and he wasn’t it! He actually tried to dress the part, but quickly found it didn’t fit him. Thankfully, he was attuned enough to how God made him and prepared him through his own experiences to simply step back into himself and trust God for the outcome. In today’s societal lingo, he was truly true to “his own authentic self” because He recognized God’s fingerprints on him (see last week’s blog HERE) and deferred to it rather than what other people thought he should be, or even to what his own imposter thoughts were clouding his mind with.

Who Did God Make YOU to Be?

Pastor Brown said it well, “Really good leadership (of self) is knowing who you are and what you’re good at. Great leadership is knowing who you’re not!” Reflect for a few minutes – – seriously, just take 120 seconds to think about who God made you to be! Don’t fall for the Enemy’s thought distortion of being an imposter, and don’t let any narcissism in either…just be honest with yourself about who God made you to be – glorious warts and all! And THEN allow your faith and trust in God to guide you. Realize that God has ALWAYS used imperfect human beings who weren’t qualified to do what they were supposed to do…to do what they DID through HIS strength and power!! (Do I hear an Amen??) 🙂

Pastor Brown closes out beautifully! “God has created you and He deeply, passionately loves you!  David found his usefulness in who he was with God, not in who someone (including himself) thought he should be.”

God created you with unique distinctions (see our blog on that topic HERE)!  Don’t fall victim to the Enemy on this…be who God designed and wants YOU to be! Blessings!

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Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.