I’ve never met someone with imposter syndrome that I didn’t instantly warm to. And I think I’ve figured out why…
Imposter syndrome is a strange compliment in disguise. It appears at the intersection of who you are now and who you’re becoming. It lives in that thrilling, uncomfortable stretch zone between current capability and untapped potential.
It often arrives hand-in-hand with comparison, and as Mark Twain reminded us, “Comparison is the death of joy.” The only person worth competing with is your past self.
When I became a first-time CEO, I thought I’d left imposter syndrome behind. My growth had finally caught up with the role, only for it to sprint ahead again.
But here’s the reframe: I’ve come to see imposter syndrome as a signal, not a flaw. If it shows up, it means you’re expanding. It’s the growing pains of leveling up.
So next time it knocks on your door, don’t slam it shut. Invite it in. Let it remind you that you’re still reaching, still evolving. That’s not a weakness. That’s the whole game.
You’re exactly where you need to be. Keep going. You’re not behind, you’re on the path.