They are so similar and often confused.
Kind of like how all rectangles are squares, but not all squares are rectangles—fun fact!
Imposter Syndrome is always Low Self-Esteem
Low Self-Esteem is not always Imposter Syndrome.
Here’s the Difference
While they are both based in feeling Less Than, Imposter Syndrome is the belief, the fear, that everyone will figure out you don’t know what you’re talking about.
When you are in a place of Less Than, you know that you know what you’re talking about. You’re not afraid that other people will think that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
You’re simply afraid that someone else could do it better.
And here’s the other thing…
Here’s the gut-punch…
Maybe they can.
The good news is, it doesn’t matter. Because not only are people interested in what you have to say, they’re interested in you and the way you say it!
Each person on this planet has their own unique voice, their own unique style, their own unique perspective and their own unique way of saying things.
So Let Me Repeat:
Not only do people care about what you’re saying, they want to hear it from you.
Just look at Oprah and Phil Donahue…
I’m not sure if you’re old enough to remember that Phil Donahue had been hosting his talk show for years before Oprah Winfrey entered the landscape.
What if she had decided: “There’s no room for me. I can’t bring anything new. Phil Donahue is already doing this and doing it well.”
The world would not have Oprah Winfrey. (Can you imagine?)
And just last week, I had my own Oprah/Donahue dilemma. I saw a post on Facebook that looked a lot like what I talk about:
- Feeling Less Than those around you
- Not valuing your own voice
- Trouble making decisions
For a split second, I felt Less Than.
“She’s a better writer,” said the voice in my head.
This was not Imposter Syndrome. I simply felt Less Than her. Why did I feel Less Than her?
Because my boundaries failed. If my Protective Boundary had been in place at the time, I would not have absorbed her message and doubted my own.
I simply would have thought, “We have different voices and that’s a good thing. She does not take away from my message.”
And I did eventually get there.
To that exact perspective:
We DO have different voices.
She DOESN’T take away from my message.
There IS room for both of us.
I had to do my own Self Esteem and Boundary work to get to my Healthy Center.
What Does the Healthy Center Look Like?
- I stand equal to all: eye to eye and toe to toe
- I have worth because I was born and nothing I say or do adds to nor detracts from that.
If you want extra help with this, be sure to grab my free Guide to Healthy Self Esteem and Confident Decision Making here.
It has exercises to help you figure out the source of your Unhealthy Self Esteem and affirmations to put into practice to bring yourself to your Healthy Center of Self Esteem!
Do you know where your source (or sources) of Unhealthy Self Esteem is? I can help you explore this, find the areas where your boundaries are failing and make substantial changes from within that will profoundly affect your life and relationships for the better! Contact me to book a call to work together.
Remember, YOU are enough and YOU matter!