About ten years ago, my boss told me, “Nelson, I’m revamping our organization. I want you to head one of our factories.”
I froze. Sure, I had an engineering degree, but I was into industrial sales at the time. What if I handled the factory and the workers didn’t like me? What if I failed in delivering production targets? What if… what if?
So I told my boss, “I’ll think about it.”
Two weeks later, my boss had enough of my dilly-dallying and told me, “Nelson, I believe in you. Go run the factory.”
Since he put it that way, I accepted my new assignment, still with trepidation. Did I really have what it takes to run this operation? I felt so much like a fraud.
But you know what? It wasn’t as bad as I thought. I enjoyed my stint as plant manager. The workers were cooperative and we generally met our KPIs. Three years later, I was given a second factory to run.
Then it hit me. I didn’t believe in myself. But my boss did.
See, if you’re struggling with imposter’s syndrome, perhaps you need someone to believe in your more than you believe in yourself.
Take a closer look at those blockbuster movies. First you see the self-doubting hero, then a wise mentor boosting his spirits until the hero wins at the end. Think Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
So here are some reflection questions:
1. What is holding you back from believing in yourself?
2. Who believes in you more than you believe in yourself?
3. What are his or her reasons for doing so?
4. What do those reasons tell you about yourself?
5. What new thinking will help you believe in yourself?
Want to be coached and be free from imposter’s syndrome? DM me and we’ll explore through a discovery call.
May 5, 2025
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