I pulled onto the parking deck at my client’s building, backed into the stall, put my car in park and thought, “Who am I to be here doing this?” I wondered what I’d be able to contribute as I felt doubt flood from my throat down into my chest and gut.
You see, the night before I’d been processing some difficult emotions that made it difficult to fall asleep. My eyes were still puffy from crying. And I wasn’t feeling my usual confidence; I wasn’t naturally starting from a well-rested, resourceful place.
As a coach serving powerful leaders, my work isn’t about me. I have to get out of my own head and into my client’s. The focus is entirely on them — the words they use, the tone, pauses or hesitations, their body language… And often we’re addressing their own imposter syndrome, self doubt, crisis of confidence, mindset, or beliefs / language / stories / systems / processes that no longer serve them so they can move forward.
I left it ALL in that room with my client that day, every ounce of energy I had. I may have even over-delivered (too many insights and it can be difficult for a client to take action on all of them between meetings). And I learned my client looks forward to our regular appointments and considers me a necessary support.
As I served my client, providing space for reflection, insights and resources, I felt those things filling in myself, too.
Here’s what I learned about how to work through imposter syndrome that day:
- Get out of your head: focus on your client, colleague, employee, customer.
- Be present: pre-game whatever’s next, centering yourself in your breath and taking a moment to get in the headspace you need to approach it.
- Serve your why: whether it’s your company’s vision and mission, your client’s needs or your own why, connect to that higher purpose.
- Gratitude is self care: focus on how fortunate you are to be in this position, with this opportunity ahead of you, with these challenges to address.
I was grateful to be able to pour my energy into a dynamic session, serving my client powerfully and renewing my sense of self. As I got back into my car and drove to the next appointment, I was also grateful to no longer question whether I could do it or feel like an imposter.
(c) 2021 Angela Rae Bushman all rights reserved
Angela Rae Bushman 