Is it really imposter syndrome or the fear of not knowing something that you *think* you should know but you don’t? 

I used to think I was supposed to know everything about everything when I started a new job or started anything new to me. I was the one who put that gawd awful unreasonable expectation on myself. No one else did. 

Over the years I’ve given myself permission to suck at something new. It’s not imposter syndrome. It’s called learning. Or better yet, practice.

For example, I started painting when I was 50. All my life I believed a lie that I had no artistic ability. Who told me that? No one. Except me. I told myself that. I created a neural pathway that became a tired tale that I told myself over and over and over.

And then one day I picked up a paint brush and decided to simply see where the colors took me. And I laughed when I sold my first painting.

What if you stopped lying to yourself about your own capabilities? 

What would happen if you gave yourself permission to suck at something that’s new to you? 

What if you gifted yourself with the permission to practice, practice, practice?

What if you realized that imposter syndrome (perfectionism) is the greatest con you convince yourself of?

This article also appears on peggy-nolan.com