The Hidden Benefit of Imposter Syndrome
I love Seth Godin, and his advice about imposter syndrome has always resonated:
“When we’re out of our comfort zone, of course we feel like an imposter. So, acknowledge the feeling, and then go ahead and do it anyway.”
Great advice—for some of us. 🤔
I call this the “barrelling through” approach. You push ahead, confident the feeling will fade. It’s great advice if you’re in false positive imposter syndrome—you do belong, but you just don’t believe it yet.
Here’s what I mean:
In the bottom-right quadrant, “barrelling through” works. Over time, you realize you fit in, and the feeling disappears.
But here’s the problem: not everyone starts from the same place.
Imagine you’re the only woman in a room full of men. Or the only racialized person in a room full of white people. Maybe the only junior in a room of senior partners. You likely already stand out. In those situations, barrelling through can backfire.
Even something smaller can throw you off. Recently, I attended an event with 100 people (80 men), and I was one of just four not wearing a suit jacket. 🤵 That’s easy to fix, but it reminded me how quickly you notice the rules aren’t the same for everyone.
Here’s the thing: If you already stand out, imposter syndrome might be telling you something important:
“Be careful. Tread intentionally.”
This does NOT mean “be stuck.” It means move forward—with purpose, at a pace that works for you.
Takeaway:
Sometimes imposter syndrome isn’t holding you back—it’s helping you. It’s slowing you down just enough to assess your next step.
You’ve got this.
—Paul
P.S. The most overlooked group? The top-left quadrant—those who don’t believe they stand out but actually do. That’s where the real career missteps happen.
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