If you are one of those women entrepreneurs who is constantly striving to be at the top of her business game, but who also underestimates her ability to succeed, or worries about not really belonging to the ‘successful entrepreneurs club’, then you could be battling Imposter Syndrome. It’s that fear of not believing you are worthy of the success you have achieved, or thinking that you have got to where you are today more by luck than management. If that resonates with you, then you are not alone. I was re-reading Valerie Young’s book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, this past weekend which is a fascinating read on this subject which afflicts many women entrepreneurs, and many successful women in general. Did you know for example that Oscar winning actresses Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep have both experienced nagging feelings that their awards and accolades were somehow not deserved? However, it appears there is a way of looking at Imposter Syndrome from the flip side. The author suggests that our fears of being inadequate pale into insignificance when compared with our fears of being extraordinary, and that if we embrace a can-do attitude and envision success as a hard won and well-deserved badge of honor, life will look a whole lot different.
Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie