They can’t mean me!

As a coach, I am often asked about the imposter phenomenon, and as an individual, I know there have been points in my career when I have held back from taking the next step toward a future opportunity for fear that I was not sufficiently capable, or senior, or experienced to make the application!

It is worth considering how many times in life and career we shut down possibilities for personal and career development, in this way, for fear of not being competent enough to take the next step. Even when appointed to new roles and opportunities, the inner voice that questions our credentials and credibility, often undermines our existing achievements and worse still paralyses our capacity to learn from our new advancement. The internal mantra of ‘they can’t mean me‘, becomes all consuming.

But what if we challenge the limitations of this internal conversation and by reframing the dialogue, welcome it as an opportunity for growth? Working to understand how our abilities and translational skills can be applied to widen our horizons; how we can spot the gaps in our skills set and build constructively towards the vision of our future selves, is work well worth undertaking. Furthermore, how we can and should utilise others’ perceptions of our strengths, to support and enhance our own vision of our future selves, will be uniquely supported by the externality of coaching leading to personal growth and fulfilment. These personal rewards are easily within our reach.

And even more rewarding is to witness such transformation in others.

“Cathryn’s encouragement to challenge feelings of imposter syndrome has been invaluable. She reassured me that such feelings are common among high achievers, allowing me to embrace my potential and contribute more fully to my team. Her guidance has not only shaped my professional development but has also instilled a lasting belief in the value of resilience and growth.”.