The Secret to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
I recently started posting daily on my YouTube channel, and just uploaded my 30th video. The growth has been insane!
Just kidding, I have like 30 subscribers. The channel hasn't really grown. Most of my videos barely even get 10 views.
Of course, this is totally expected, especially since I'm so new. What was unexpected is how quickly I started to feel inadequate.
"Okay, that's the 10th video in a row that I uploaded, and no one really watched any of them... Am I cut out for this? What if this never changes? What if I just suck at making content?"
It's so easy for me to get caught up in these feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. While you might not be starting a new YouTube channel, I'm willing to bet that you have felt imposter syndrome in other areas of your life, or maybe you're even feeling self-doubt in some way right now.
First off, these feelings are normal. I think it'd actually be kind of strange to feel 100% confident about everything all the time. That seems pretty arrogant.
Secondly, everyone who is great at anything has gone through this phase. No one starts off as a master. And I would say that there are masters who still feel like they aren't good enough.
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So, how do we deal with this?
Keep going. Don't give up. This is obviously way easier said than done, especially when those voices in our head tell us we aren't good enough. But, if you keep trying, and you learn from every repetition that you do, then success is inevitable.
This is probably shit you've heard before, with famous quotes like "I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work" (Thomas Edison) or "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall" (Confucius).
People often resonate with these quotes, but when push comes to shove, it's uncommon for someone to keep going. The stresses and anxieties of failure are too great to handle. Hearing inspirational quotes isn't enough? What gives?
The key is your self-awareness of when you feel like an imposter.
This is the magical and crucial moment.
It is only when you feel insecure, that you can practice strengthening your resilience to keep going. When you feel self-doubt, that is your window of opportunity.
You're not going to strengthen your muscles if you don't lift weights or work out. Similarly, you can't strengthen your perseverance if you don't feel doubt. So whenever you feel doubt, know that you were lucky enough to be placed into the mental strength gym. Are you going to use that chance to do some reps, or just sit around?
The next time you're feeling self-doubt, see if you can catch yourself in it, before automatically spiraling. Remember what your good buddy Confucius said. Notice your physical sensations. Slow down your breath. Make a conscious note that you're choosing to keep going. You got this.
I hope that helps. Right now I'm going to go make another YouTube video that will probably get about 10 views. It's going to be great. My mental resilience is gonna get such a nice workout!
