Challenging Imposter Syndrome
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My Story with Impostor Syndrome
I deal with impostor syndrome almost every day.
That internal voice that says, “You’re not good enough.” “They’ll find out you’re a fraud.” “You don’t deserve this success.”
Sound familiar?
I find that impostor syndrome is one of the most common mental barriers for high-performing professionals—especially in construction, where the stakes are high and the tolerance for mistakes is low. And yet, it’s rarely talked about.
Why impostor syndrome holds people back
When you’re stuck in impostor syndrome, you second-guess yourself. You hesitate instead of lead. You play small. You defer to others who seem more confident, even when you have the right answer. In other words, you waste valuable energy on fear instead of action.
It doesn’t matter how much you accomplish—the feeling doesn’t go away on its own. I’ve been there. I’m still there sometimes.
But I’ve found a better way to work through it.
How I’m overcoming it
Lately, I’ve been reprogramming my mind and body to stop preparing for the worst.
My therapist helped me see that anticipating danger is a defense mechanism. It may have served me in the past, but as an adult, I have better tools. That insight shifted everything for me.
Now, when that wave of fear hits, I remind myself: I am not my emotions. I am the observer of my emotions. And I get to choose what I believe.
So, when I hear those impostor thoughts creep in—“You’re not good enough” or “You’re going to screw this up”—I breathe. I let them exist without judgment. And then I move forward anyway.
The truth is: the future isn’t dangerous. The universe is generous if you give generously.
This doesn’t mean impostor syndrome will disappear. But it does mean it no longer runs the show. And that makes all the difference.
Spark Notes:
Impostor syndrome whispers lies—“you’re not good enough,” “you don’t belong”—and it’s one of the most common, unspoken struggles in construction and other high-performance fields.
When it takes over, you shrink back instead of lead, wasting energy on fear rather than action. Success doesn’t erase it; it just keeps showing up.
The shift came when I realized fear is just an old defense mechanism. I can observe those emotions without letting them drive the car.
Now, when impostor thoughts surface, I breathe, let them pass, and move forward anyway—because the future isn’t dangerous, and generosity always multiplies.
