Meet Imp, my Imposter Syndrome

Meet Imp, my Imposter Syndrome. Imp is rarely far away, whispering in my ear, telling me I don’t belong. For years I ignored Imp, and that was the problem.

What if Imposter Syndrome is a Feature not a Bug?

Before I went on stage to speak at a conference, ahead of a conversation with a high profile CEO, even in conversations with other coaches Imp was whispering.

This is how I pictured Imp, a little mischievous fellow with an agenda. Whispering that I’m not good enough or I don’t belong.

Imp caused me anxiety, anxiety meant I over prepared and over delivered; working long hours, never satisfied.

Then Mr Rich Litvin shared something with me that changed my perspective, I was no longer alone.

Name it tame it

I am, or was an Insecure Overachiever. Here’s a definition of Insecure Overachiever

An insecure overachiever is someone who consistently pushes themselves to perform at an extremely high level, driven by a combination of insecurity and a deep desire for validation and success. This personality trait is often associated with perfectionism, a fear of failure, and a relentless drive to exceed expectations.

Now I knew what I was I could address it. Name it to tame it. I understood Imp and why it was driving me hard. I had some separation.

So rather than ignoring Imp, it was time to listen to Imp.

I have background in neuroscience and psychology and it forms a part of my coaching. I use an approach called Internal Family Systems. I won’t go into detail here, you can watch my conference talk about your Managing Your Internal and External Board of Directors to learn more.

IFS says we are made up of parts, they are all valid and they all serve us. Imp was one of my internal family. Imp had something to say. If I listened, and learned, and reject the more extreme things Imp said I could harness its power without the anxiety.

So meet Imp, one of my co-pilots, helping me to be better, whispering ideas, helping me improve. Imp is on my side. The change in perspective has been transformational. Imp is guiding me to the thing that push me forward. [see more on Comfort to Growth]