Thanks, Rusty. Of course you have permission to reprint my work. Please just use the credit we’ve spoken about in the past.

I love your suggestion of “acting as if.” This is a really smart strategy and works well for a great many people. Thanks for mentioing it!

I’d like to share an insight of my own. When I was trying to figure out my journalism career and its direction toward reporting and graphic arts, I would try not to compare myself to others but I always did. I was talking myself out of major steps forward because I didn’t feel I had earned the right.

I read that if you “Act as if you do” in all things that you wish to attain, then by consciously telling yourself, you will eventually believe that it is more true than you realized. I posted a small sign on my computer and it became my mantra…

Act as if you do … so I acted as if I was a great writer and photographer, won a couple of awards in college, then moved on to my career taking that mantra with me. It worked. My confidence grew; my abilities blossomed and I realized many of my goals. I still fight self-doubt and that dreaded “imposter syndrome” but now I know what it is and I “kick it to the curb.” That’s my new mantra.

I’d be interested to know what surprised you, Nancy.

It interests me that the research appears to show there is no difference between the # of women and men afflicted with imposter syndrome. (See link in the post, above.) I think, perhaps that men are just more aggressive about hiding it.

Indeed, the mind is very funny. As I said in a comment above, I think the combo of acknowledging the feeling of being an imposter and resolving not to let this feeling influence our behaviour is a powerful way to deal with the challenge.

Yes, I think on some level we are ALL total frauds who are held together by nothing more than bubblegum and spit! I find it comforting to know that many clearly talented writers have also felt like imposters.

Thanks for your kind words, Elizabeth!

For me, what works with the idea of “leaving doubt alone to do its work” is that it both acknowledges the existence of doubt (which is healthy) and simultaneously suggests the value of IGNORING it. I think that combo is exceptionally powerful.

You’re very welcome, Jagadish! Glad it resonated for you.