Imposter Syndrome
Warning: Proceed with caution.
In my 20s, if there was an opportunity I really wanted or felt I deserved I went for it. With little consideration for title or organizational structure. And I figured it out as I went. I was ok with not knowing all the answers and spent a lot of time learning, making mistakes, asking for feedback. And as a result, I moved swiftly up the corporate ladder without pausing to ever look back.
Now, in my 30s, I won’t apply to a job if the title is anything more than what I left my last job with. If the years of experience exceed mine, I immediately file it away. Even if everything in the job descriptions aligns exactly, I second guess myself and often consider the opportunity ‘bigger’ than what I think I am capable of. Its crippling, at a minimum, and damaging if you don’t recognize that its influencing your decision making.
But they say the first step to fixing a problem is recognizing it (cliché I know, but applicable nonetheless!) and I recently saw a quote that helped put it into perspective for me: ‘Stop letting your potential go to waste because you don’t feel confident or ready enough. People with half your talent are making serious waves while you are still waiting to feel ready’. And one more for good measure: ‘Getting your shit together requires a new level of honesty. There’s nothing easy about realizing you’re the one that’s been holding you back this whole time.’
