Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome Doesn’t Mean You’re Not Ready — It Means You’re Paying Attention

When you were a kid, you looked at teenagers like they had it all figured out.
Then you became one. Still clueless.
Then you looked at adults — your parents, teachers, whoever — and thought they must have it together.
Then you grew up and realised: nope. Everyone’s winging it. Some are just doing it with more confidence and better posture.

That’s always been my go-to counter when imposter syndrome creeps in.
Because the truth is, even the people who seem like experts are still figuring it out — just with a longer list of mistakes behind them and fewer apologies about it.

‍

Case in point: the mascot project

Recently, I handed off an internal creative project to one of our newest full-time team members.
She just wrapped up her internship with us — our very first intern, in fact — and she crushed it.
So I said, cool. You’re now leading the development of Nexubis’ first company mascot. You’re the creative lead. Two team members are backing you up. Go make it happen.

Naturally, she panicked a bit.
“What exactly are my responsibilities as the project owner?” she asked.
My answer:
“I expect a mascot concept ready to roll by the end of next week. Just make it happen.”

Simple. Clear. No babysitting.

She put together a plan and assigned everyone their parts.
But then she hit a wall.
“People aren’t really giving feedback,” she told me. “It feels like I’m running in circles.”

So I asked:
“Have you broken the project into clear phases? With real deadlines, specific deliverables, milestone check-ins?”

She hadn’t.
That was the first lesson.
No clarity, no momentum.
She adjusted. Next time? She’ll set that structure from day one.

Then the team missed a few internal deadlines.
She hesitated again.
“I don’t want to come off pushy or annoying,” she said. “Like this newbie barking orders.”
I reminded her:

“You own this project. That means you own the result. And they’re your pathway to that result. You’re not being annoying — you’re just doing your job. No one’s above accountability.”

It clicked.
She wasn’t being bossy. She was learning leadership.
And like all leadership lessons, it felt awkward before it felt natural.

‍

What this really boils down to: exposure therapy

The first time you lead something, it’s going to feel huge.
It should.
But you don’t build confidence from reading theory or sitting on the sidelines.
You build it by doing the thing.
By making mistakes, owning them, and showing up again the next day.

This is how I train our team — I throw people into the deep end and coach from the edge.
Why? Because the people who get through those early fires come out stronger, sharper, and far more confident.
They stop asking for permission and start offering direction. That kind of growth drives Nexubis forward.

‍

The mistake you’re afraid of making is the exact one you need

She was scared of messing up. Of letting people down.
But messing up is inevitable.
It’s how you respond — not whether it happens — that determines who you become.

Imposter syndrome fades.
It turns into confidence.
Then that confidence turns into clarity.
And suddenly, the things that once felt too big to handle become part of your baseline.
That’s how you grow. Not by avoiding the feeling — but by pushing through it enough times that it stops controlling you.

‍

Final thought

If you feel like an imposter, it’s probably because you care.
You care about doing a good job.
You care about how others see you.
You care about not letting people down.

That doesn’t make you unqualified.
It just means you’re self-aware — and self-awareness is a superpower, not a liability.
It means you’re paying attention.

Keep going.