NickVenturella.com 3-4-23 - Make Imposter Syndrome Your Friend

I was in an all company meeting at my job the other day, and our CEO, who is a very smart, sharp guy, leads a segment of the meeting called “Ask Me Anything” (AMA).

It’s great. He takes pretty much any and all questions from employees and does his best to answer them for everyone’s knowledge. This is a company meeting with over 5000 people on the call.

In the AMA portion of the call, someone asked how he as a CEO deals with imposter syndrome (definition from Google: the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills).

He thought for a bit and shared an answer that was more about how anyone should probably approach imposter syndrome, or any other extreme emotion when it comes to their work… 

(I’m paraphrasing here, but this was the gist.)

He shared that when you feel stressed, overwhelmed, and your perception is that you’re at your worst, that’s actually when you’re doing your best work. This is because you’re trying to deal with the stress-causing emotions, and if you’re able to find incremental bits of sanity to keep pushing through the stress, that's when your best work emerges and real, lasting growth occurs. Conversely, when you’re overly complacent you’re probably not growing or doing your best work.

That really resonated for me. Especially, because I’m still new in this organization, and I’m feeling my own level of imposter syndrome as I get to know the culture.

As I reflect across my career, I do find that some of my best work was born out of stressful situations, or at least situations that had a large factor of the “unknown” involved.

How about you?  What can you push through these days to realize your best work? How do you make Imposter Syndrome your friend?Be well!

----------Updates----------upcoming Madison, WI-area live music performancesMore shows are in the works, stay tuned.TONIGHT!Hop Haus Brewing Co.Verona, WISat. March 4, 20236 - 8pm-----Lone Girl Brewing CompanyWaunakee, WISun. July 16, 20233 - 5pm----------Latest guitar build from nickVguitars "The Dustbowl Guitar"

Stay positive. Stay healthy. Be kind.Sincerely,Nick VenturellaStrategic/Creative ProfessionalNickVenturella.com