Imposter Syndrome Exposed: Why You Feel Like a Fraud and How to Stop

Have you ever felt like you're just one mistake away from being discovered as a fraud?

That nagging voice doubting your achievements isn't just you—it's a widespread phenomenon called imposter syndrome. 

In today's episode of the 2% Solution, we tackle this pervasive yet often unspoken challenge. 

From its identification by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978 to its impact on careers, fitness journeys, and more, we'll unpack the roots of this self-doubt. I share my struggle in the fitness industry, questioning my worth despite my journey from obesity to becoming a fitness coach. 

Imposter syndrome often stems from perfectionism and fear of failure, leading to chronic stress and burnout. 

Yet, there’s a silver lining—recent studies show that recognizing and reframing these feelings can fuel personal growth. 

Join us as we explore practical strategies to overcome this mental barrier and help you embrace your true potential. 

If you've ever felt like you didn’t belong despite your successes, this episode is your guide to turning self-doubt into a powerful motivator. Let's kick that imposter out of our heads and step into the greatness we're meant to achieve!

Transcript

Dai Manuel : 0:08

Hey there, 2% Collective Warriors. Welcome back to another episode of the 2% Solution. I'm your host, diamond. Well, and today we're diving into a topic that I know many of us struggle with, but we don't always talk about it imposter syndrome. You know that little voice in your head that says who do you think you are? You don't belong here. Sound familiar? Today we're going to tackle that voice head on. So let's kick that imposter out of our heads and start embracing our true potential.

Dai Manuel : 0:40

So what exactly is imposter syndrome? Simply put, it's the feeling that you're not as competent or qualified as others think you are and that they will soon find out you're a fraud. Imposter syndrome was first introduced in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes and their paper entitled the Imposter Phenomenon in High-Achieving Women Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. They described it as an internal experience of intellectual phoniness. I love how they termed that, particularly common among high-achieving women who, despite evident success there's proof but they believe they are not intelligent and have deceived others about their abilities, even though there is so much evidence stacked up against that. You know, really proving it, opposite to that Incredibly successful woman that they talk about in that study. And you know, it's just one of the things. I recommend checking it out because I think a lot of us can relate to that right. We achieve certain successes in our lives. We achieve certain milestone results for actions we've taken, and they've been great, big, big moments of change in our lives, and we made that happen by making changes. So we know a lot. But this feeling of being an imposter isn't something that's just a fleeting feeling. Studies show that about 70% of people will experience imposter syndrome at some point, and this is according to the research from International Journal of Behavioral Science. You know 7 out of 10 people. So you're feeling this way. You're not alone. Imposter syndrome can creep up in all areas of life, whether you're starting a new job, maybe launching a business, heck even your fitness journey. You might question whether you're good enough, wise enough or fit enough. But here's the truth you are.

Dai Manuel : 2:44

Share a quick personal story. I remember when I first started in the fitness industry. I was passionate, but I constantly felt like I didn't measure up to the other trainers and coaches. I was constantly judging myself, thinking who am I to be coaching or training people? I literally look around and I think these people have been doing this for years. What do I have to offer? Why would somebody want to work with me? And that voice in my head was loud and incredibly persistent. But one day you know it was really weird Something clicked. I realized everyone starts somewhere and that experience is gained through action, not hesitation. Literally, the more I showed up, the more I learned. And that experience is gained through action, not hesitation. Literally, the more I showed up, the more I learned. And I realized I had something unique my story, my personal experiences that brought me to fitness.

Dai Manuel : 3:36

Some of you may or may not remember I was morbidly obese as a teenager. I've talked about this in numerous episodes. You know it wasn't an easy time in life At 15 years old being morbidly obese. You know BMI well into its 40s. It was a struggle, but I made a change and it was 20 months to realize a new version of me. And really that was the start of a long journey to get into where I am today. And the thing is, when I think back on, that it wasn't about being the best, but it was about being real, being authentic and always trying to give my best. And I bet you have a story that's just like that too. So why do we feel this way Imposter syndrome.

Dai Manuel : 4:21

It often stems from perfectionism, fear of failure, comparing ourselves to others. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people with high levels of perfectionism are more likely to experience imposter syndrome. This leads to chronic stress, anxiety and maybe even eventually burnout. But here's something that you might not know Recent research from the American Psychological Association suggests that imposter syndrome can also motivate growth. The key is to recognize, reframe and use it as fuel to push yourself forward rather than hold yourself back. So how do we overcome this imposter syndrome? I've got some strategies that have worked for me and a lot of my clients, but also, just anecdotally, just people I've connected with and had these conversations with, because, I'll tell you, there's a lot of us that feel this way, seven out of 10 of us. It's amazing. We just started asking people hey, you ever feel like this? We're going to get yeses more than we get noes.

Dai Manuel : 5:24

But the first step, first real strategy, is acknowledging your feelings, you know, recognizing that you're experiencing imposter syndrome. Name it, don't shame it. By acknowledging these feelings, you remove some of their power. Number two reframe your thoughts. When that voice of doubt starts to creep in, challenge the heck out of it. Replace I'm not good enough with. I'm learning and I'm growing daily. Remember progress over perfection. Number three document your wins. Keep a wins journal where you jot down your accomplishments, no matter how small. This will help you build confidence and remind you what you're capable of, but also, more importantly, how far you've come.

Dai Manuel : 6:11

Number four you got to talk about it. I think I've hinted to that so many darn times. You're probably getting sick of it, but you got to talk about it. Share your feelings with a trusted friend, a mentor, a coach, maybe a colleague. You'll be surprised how many people have felt the exact same way as you. Sometimes, just knowing you're not alone can be the change to make a huge difference.

Dai Manuel : 6:33

And number five you got to embrace failure as part of the journey. I know it's hard, right, it's hard, holy smokes. Failure is not the opposite of success, though. It's part of the process of success, because every setback is a setup for a comeback. So don't be afraid to fail forward. To explore overcoming imposter syndrome more deeply, I recommend researching resources from the American Psychological Association, as well as the International Journal of Behavioral Science and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. These are all great places to start your understanding, as well as understanding how to overcome imposter syndrome, and the cool part is I've put them all in the show notes to make it super easy for you to go and find this stuff, all right. So so do click over to the show notes, check out some of those links and, yeah, I love it If you reach back to me and let me know what you found or what you learned.

Dai Manuel : 7:30

So, my wellness warriors, this 2% collective that we're all a part of, that's it for today's episode on overcoming imposter syndrome. Remember you belong in every room you step into. The key is showing up, being authentic and pushing forward. Because you got this. Thanks for tuning in to the 2% Solution. If you found value in this episode, share with a friend who might need a little confidence boost today, and don't forget to follow us on social media and leave a review. If you love this podcast. I certainly appreciate it. Stay strong, stay confident and keep pushing your limits. I'm Diamond Wall and you've been listening to the 2% Solution. Let's keep thriving together and we'll see you next time.