Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Stop letting impostor syndrome hold you back! This guided workbook of interactive exercises and research-backed activities will help you conquer self-doubt, realize your true worth, and enjoy your success. How many times have you thought that everyone is crushing it except you? How often have you looked at one of your accomplishments and attributed it to luck or the help of others? It can be difficult to acknowledge our own successes and skills, and overcome the feeling of being an impostor. But moving past that feeling is crucial to continuing down the path to even greater success and happiness. Own Your Greatness will give you all the tools you need to recognize and overcome the impostor syndrome that is holding you back. Packed full of research- and therapy-backed exercises, prompts, and activities, this interactive workbook will help you: Identify the root causes of your impostor syndrome Recognize your natural skills and strengths Gain the confidence to lead Speak up for yourself Feel comfortable receiving and giving praise With this book, you’ll acknowledge the skills you bring to the table, understand that you truly deserve your success, and take steps to a successful, happy, and fulfilled life.

Offering entrepreneurs and leaders a practical look at “impostor syndrome,” leadership consultant Kris Kelso explores that inner voice that downplays our own accomplishments while amplifying those of others. Kris gives readers powerful tools needed to expose The Impostor’s methods and emerge as more effective and confident leaders. Of the many challenges successful entrepreneurs and business leaders face, none may be as damaging or difficult to conquer as silencing their worst critics—their own negative nagging inner voices. If you’re a leader, innovator, or entrepreneur who’s ever told yourself … “I’m not supposed to be here …” “I only got lucky; but that leader has the real talent … ” “I don’t deserve an award. It should go to that other person …” “One of these days, everyone’s going to figure out that I’m in over my head …” … then you’ve met The Impostor who denigrates your own competencies while praising those of others. But, The Impostor’s voice doesn’t have to dominate your life or hold you back any longer from reaching your goals. Dealing with The Impostor is a mind game that you can win! In Overcoming the Impostor, Kris Kelso breaks down how founders and leaders can recognize impostor syndrome in their own lives. He gives practical ideas for silencing their inner critics and offers attainable solutions for effectively overcoming and defeating The Impostor. With reflection questions at the end of each chapter and practical how-to tips, Overcoming the Impostor gives you the tools and techniques to: Change your thinking and lead with confidence Disarm the inner critic and silence the nagging voice inside your head Shift your perspective on what defines failure Identify when The Impostor has been at work in your life and career in the past Manage effectively The Impostor’s appearance in the future See how The Impostor makes you feel unique for all the wrong reasons Understand how The Impostor leads you to self sabotage Recognize how fear of failure, not asking for help, and comparing yourself to others invites The Impostor’s influence Understand how community and vulnerability play vital roles in helping you succeed Use the 3 Ps—Progress, Passion, and Purpose—to define your success Create ten new habits that will help you overcome The Impostor Freeing yourself from the influence of The Impostor is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing effort. You have to change the way that you think, make some conscious decisions that are not natural or comfortable, and step forward even when you’d rather stay in the background. Overcoming the Impostor is a practical guide for starting your journey toward freedom from the beliefs that hold you back and keep you down. It’s time to embrace the clarity and confidence needed to change your life and take your career to the next level.

Learn to take ownership of your success, overcome self-doubt, and banish the thought patterns that undermine your ability to feel—and act—as bright and capable as others already know you are with this award-winning book by Valerie Young. It’s only because they like me. I was in the right place at the right time. I just work harder than the others. I don’t deserve this. It’s just a matter of time before I am found out. Someone must have made a terrible mistake. If you are a working woman, chances are this inter­nal monologue sounds all too familiar. And you’re not alone. From the high-achieving Ph.D. candidate convinced she’s only been admitted to the program because of a clerical error to the senior executive who worries others will find out she’s in way over her head, a shocking number of accomplished women in all ca­reer paths and at every level feel as though they are faking it—impostors in their own lives and careers. While the impostor syndrome is not unique to women, women are more apt to agonize over tiny mistakes, see even constructive criticism as evi­dence of their shortcomings, and chalk up their accomplishments to luck rather than skill. They often unconsciously overcompensate with crippling perfec­tionism, overpreparation, maintaining a lower pro­file, withholding their talents and opinions, or never finishing important projects. When they do succeed, they think, Phew, I fooled ’em again. An internationally known speaker, Valerie Young has devoted her career to understanding women’s most deeply held beliefs about themselves and their success. In her decades of in-the-trenches research, she has uncovered the often surprising reasons why so many accomplished women experience this crushing self-doubt. In The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, Young gives these women the solution they have been seek­ing. Combining insightful analysis with effective ad­vice and anecdotes, she explains what the impostor syndrome is, why fraud fears are more common in women, and how you can recognize the way it mani­fests in your life.

A series of true stories that are at once relatable, funny, and heart-wrenching, join lauded writer Marissa Miller on a journey of battling imposter syndrome and learning to be proud to stand out. Acclaimed writer and editor Marissa Miller was born into what you would call a nice Jewish family. But she somehow grew into anything but a Nice Jewish Girl. From openly discussing any and all bodily functions with whoever would listen, to encouraging her peers to join her in undressing in the hallways at school for no reason other than to fight the oppressive institution of modern academia, she was continuously scolded by members of the Jewish community for exploring her identity and pushing the boundaries of what a “nice girl” is allowed to do. To make sense of being the odd one out, she did what any confused teenager would do: she wrote. She wrote poems on MySpace, articles for her school newspaper, extra credit English assignments to compensate for her complete and utter lack of math skills, and eventually, reported pieces for many of the world’s most prestigious media publications. But the transition to a lucrative journalism career didn’t come without is growing pains. Getting anywhere past the school newspaper stage and being asked to provide journalism lectures around the city inspired a sense of panic, dread, and most notably, impostor syndrome—the sense that success is a product of coincidence and luck as opposed to hard work and talent. No fellow journalists she idolized growing up seemed to have had a history of behavior so crude it would make your Rabbi blush. Surely, the Universe was thisclose to taking everything away from her. And to some extent, it did. In Pretty Weird—a series of true stories that are at once relatable, funny, and heart-wrenching—you’ll learn about why, like Miller, you’re worthy of success by virtue of you thinking you’re not, about why there’s no such thing as being “not sick enough” to deserve help, and that living in that liminal space of being too normal to stand out, yet too weird to fit in, is truly where all the magic happens.

‘If you've ever been dumped, fired, or experienced any semblance of rejection, then boy do we have the book for you.’ GLAMOUR An empowering, practical guide to overcoming imposter syndrome, getting sassy with negative thoughts and succeeding in all areas of life.

A newly updated edition for 2024 'You've definitely heard of it, you've almost certainly felt it and it's actively stopping you from being your best self. In a new book on imposter syndrome Dr Jessamy Hibberd provides a definitive guide to understanding and tackling the psychological mind trap.' - The Sunday Times 'Dr Jessamy teaches you the tools to break free from those self-sabotaging thought patterns that are holding you back from your own success.' - Hazel Wallace, The Food Medic 'If you suffer from imposter syndrome, this is definitely a must-read!' - Goodreads reviewer 'I have suffered with imposter syndrome my entire life [...] In the few days I have been reading this book I have done an almost complete 180.' - Goodreads reviewer Imposter syndrome is a phenomenon in which people believe they are not worthy of success. They convince themselves that they have done well due to luck and are terrified their shortcomings will eventually be exposed, making it impossible to enjoy their accomplishments. The Imposter Cure explores the psychological impact of imposter syndrome and exposes the secrets fears and insecurities felt by millions of men and women. Dr Jessamy Hibberd provides sound expert advice to help the reader better understand the problem and overcome it, so they think differently, gain self-belief and learn to see themselves as others do. Filled with case studies to bring the concepts alive and packed with strategies to increase confidence, this book is a must-read for anyone who has struggled with their achievements.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead. Don’t miss the five-part HBO Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG Leadership is not about titles, status, and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas, and has the courage to develop that potential. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. But daring leadership in a culture defined by scarcity, fear, and uncertainty requires skill-building around traits that are deeply and uniquely human. The irony is that we’re choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the exact same time as we’re scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can’t do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection, and courage, to start. Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture? In this new book, Brown uses research, stories, and examples to answer these questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. Brown writes, “One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.” Whether you’ve read Daring Greatly and Rising Strong or you’re new to Brené Brown’s work, this book is for anyone who wants to step up and into brave leadership.