When launching a new service in your business, many new stressors and limiting beliefs can surface.
Even if you have done your research, there can always be that slither of doubt that your audience is going to think you’re a big hoax.
No matter how much core confidence you have, self-doubt and uncertainty are part of the process of launching your own project. Left unchecked, those feelings of uncertainty can become a cycle of negativity, often referred to as impostor syndrome.
What is imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a pervasive feeling of self-doubt that eats away at one’s confidence, creates enormous angst and inevitably holds so many of us back in our business. It can see you question your intelligence, skillset and worthiness in your own business.
Way to come to overcome imposter syndrome
- Start an accomplishment box to embrace how far you’ve gotten in your business and acknowledge all your hard work. Try keeping a file on your computer, and when anyone sends me a complimentary comment or says “job well done,” store it there. On days when your brain is asking “Just who do you think you are to be doing this?”, refer to those emails/happy feedback to reinforce the fact that I’ve earned your business and have the skills and know-how to tackle this new service.
- Understand that the feeling of imposter syndrome is natural when you are growing. Try to embrace it. It means you’re stretching yourself to new heights. Only then can you achieve greater things in your business and life. Identify it for what it is and choose not to let it affect your ability to grow.
- Remember that you are not alone. Impostor syndrome is much more common than most people realize—and it happens at all levels. If anything, it gets worse as you become more accomplished and take on more responsibility. That’s why building strategies to acknowledge and address it is so important.
- One of these strategies should be to share your feelings with someone else. Do you know someone working in the same field as you, that you could reach out to? Or simply another freelancer or solo business owner. You will be surprised at how common it is, and how many others have felt or feel the same way.
- Update the language you use with more assertive phrases. Instead of saying, “I feel this is the way forward,” say, “I think this is the way forward.”
- Acknowledge, validate, and then let go. Just because your interpretations of an event are stories (rather than facts) doesn’t mean your feelings are any less valid. Combatting impostor syndrome isn’t about ignoring your emotions. Rather, the best way to fight this feeling is to acknowledge that you’re feeling poorly, validate that it’s okay, and then let those feelings go if they aren’t based in reality.
As freelancers and solo business owners, we face daily challenges to our self-confidence, including pushing ourselves to be better by launching a new service in our business. These challenges can make it an uphill battle to achieve. So while climbing to the top, be sure to recognize your value and never lose sight of your inner worth.
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