In the spirit of Halloween, Spells and Potions 🧙♀️🔮…
I’m showing up today with a Hocus-Pocus (one of the BEST movies ever made btw), magic potion designed just for you!
I’m here to wave a magic wand and share a little podcast love, all in the spirit of helping you overcome imposter syndrome.
That’s right, it’s my greatest wish for you to stop doubting yourself, holding back, and waiting for a magical time in the future when you’ll feel fully confident in your abilities as a coach and business owner.
Why is that my greatest wish for you?
Because I can teach you all the steps to marketing, using workshops to attract your dream clients and how to fill your calendar, but if your mindset is filled with self-doubt and imposter syndrome then you’ll continue to hold yourself back, which is never good.
Imposter syndrome is one of those things that can, and more than likely will, get in your head at almost every stage of your business journey.
Each and every time you move to the next level of your business you’ll find that it’s common for self-doubt to creep in. So, just realize, you’re not alone in your feelings. We all have them.
The good news is that as time goes on, your experience as a business owner will help you recognize the telltale signs of imposter syndrome before it really gets a grip on you.
You’ll become acutely aware of which situations bring out your unique feelings of self-doubt so you’ll be able to recognize and squash them before they slow your momentum.
3 ACTION STEPS TO OVERCOME IMPOSTER SYNDROME
The definition of imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud.
There are many reasons to feel self-doubt that comes with a big helping of imposter syndrome.
It can be because…
- You’re just starting your business and don’t have much experience yet
- You’ve been away from your business for a while and aren’t sure how to dive back in with your followers
- You want to make some big changes in your business and aren’t sure how your family, friends and followers will take the news
Maybe it’s a little bit of all of those things that has you feeling unsure of yourself.
But here’s the thing, imposter syndrome is a thought, not an actual fact.
It has no control over you and isn’t part of your identity. You can choose to ignore thoughts and feelings of imposter syndrome and replace them with healthier, more self-affirming thoughts instead.
Let me ask you a question…
Do you ever second-guess your abilities to help a client or the value you bring to the table?
If you answered yes… rest assured you’re not alone.
Imposter syndrome can cause fear of success, fear of failure or even fear of being exposed as a fraud.
One coach recently shared with me – “I suffer from imposter syndrome everyday and I’ve been at this a while!”
Every time you up-level your business you are going to be challenged by imposter syndrome.
I do know some coaches that have moved past the imposter syndrome phase.
Here’s what another coach shared with me…
”Imposter syndrome is only a story you tell yourself, no one else knows about it. You can actually ignore that thought and remember that you do have the answers that matter. If someone asks you something you don’t know just say, ‘you know I’ve never been asked that question, let me check my resources and I’ll get back to you.’ There is no shame in not knowing the answer to a question. It is a shame not to share the wealth of knowledge you do have. You’ve got this!”
Ahhh, I love that!
Here are 3 steps to cure self-doubt and impostor syndrome once and for all!
Step 1: Learn to quickly identify the feelings that cause you to feel like an impostor.
Being able to quickly identify the feelings, or even situations, that cause you to feel inadequate is crucial to shutting down those nasty voices inside your head.
Typically, each of us has a very specific voice reel that plays in our head when we feel like we’re not good enough. As soon as you recognize that voice you must turn it around with feelings of positivity.
Keep a list close by of people you’ve helped and successes you’ve experienced that you can reference whenever necessary.
Believe the list of grateful clients is fact and not the negative voice in your head.
Step 2: Identify a support person or group that you can rely on in times of need.
Having a friend, family member or trusted colleague that you can confide in is a must.
All of us need a go-to support person in our life. In business, entrepreneurs often join mastermind groups to find support. We’ve always believed that when two people share a similar experience the potential for extreme healing and growth is usually the outcome.
Having a support person that knows what you’re experiencing is the quickest way to banish those feelings of fraud. Your accountability partner will call out your feelings of inadequacy and remind you that the voices in your head are just your brain’s way of keeping you safe and inside your comfort zone.
That brings us to step 3.
Step 3: Become crystal clear on what is fact and what is fiction.
Anytime that you begin to feel like an impostor ask yourself this question, “Do I feel this way because of something I know for a fact or is it coming from a feeling of inadequacy or a limiting belief?”
When you have strong feelings about something it can feel very real, however, without something factual to back it up, it remains just a feeling.
Knowing the difference between the two is the best way to break that cycle of negativity.
Bonus Step 4: Knowing how to get the answer versus being a know-it-all.
The last thing I want to share before I wrap up today is that most health coaches are carrying a huge burden on their shoulders thinking that they need to know everything about their niche so they can answer every single question someone asks them on the spot.
This is a false belief and is not the case.
Your role as a health coach is to be a trusted and reliable resource and sometimes that means simply saying, “I don’t know the answer to that question off the top of my head but I have a network of colleagues that I can tap into to get the most up-to-date information on this topic.”
I promise that your potential client will appreciate you doing the legwork for them and will never ever look at you as an imposter for not knowing the answer to their question.
OVERCOMING IMPOSTER SYNDROME
It’s time to kick self-doubt to the curb once and for all – here’s to saying goodbye to the ghosts of imposter syndrome!
In episode 333 of The Wellness Business Podcast you’ll discover:
- The most common reasons that new coaches are particularly susceptible to the negative thoughts of self-doubt and imposter syndrome and why over time experience will overcome those feelings once and for all
- Three easy-to-implement steps to take action on when imposter syndrome is making you feel particularly vulnerable so you can turn things around very quickly and get in control of your feelings
- The number one reason that wellness business owners experience imposter syndrome more than anyone else and a one-sentence canned response that immediately eases your feelings of inadequacy and puts you back in control of the situation and your mindset
To learn 3 critical steps to overcome imposter syndrome in your business, listen to episode 333 of the Wellness Business Podcast!
Links/Resources mentioned on the show:
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