Rethinking Imposter Syndrome: Why the Problem Is Bigger Than Confidence
Imposter syndrome is often framed as a personal issue, something we are expected to fix by adjusting our mindset or pushing ourselves to “feel more qualified.” For years, I believed that too. I tried every confidence trick and every version of “fake it till you make it,” but the feeling never truly went away.
Eventually, I realized the issue was not my qualifications or my confidence. The issue was the environments I was trying to succeed in. Many of the spaces I entered were built around norms I was never meant to fit neatly into.
I later heard Reshma Saujani speak at Smith College, where she described imposter syndrome as “the modern-day bicycle face,” a cultural distraction that encourages individuals to fix themselves rather than examine the systems that make them feel like outsiders in the first place. Her message focused on women, but the truth extends further. Anyone who does not match the traditional expectations of what a leader or professional should look like has likely felt the weight of being “the different one in the room.”
Imposter syndrome is not a personal defect. It is often a natural response to an environment that was not built with you in mind.
When Discomfort Is Data
As a neurodivergent woman and founder of Getting Ish Done Now, I have spent years in work cultures that reward constant context switching, rapid responses, and operating in a steady state of chaos. None of that aligns with how my brain works. For a long time, I believed my discomfort meant I needed to push harder or perform differently.
What I eventually learned is that discomfort is information. It is feedback that tells you the structure or expectations are misaligned, not that you are. That understanding is what shaped the foundation of my business. I chose to build systems that bring calm to complexity, because clarity, planning, and predictable processes are where I thrive. Now those strengths are exactly what my clients rely on.
A More Helpful Lens for Imposter Syndrome
The most effective shift I made was reframing imposter syndrome as a sign of growth rather than a sign of inadequacy. When I feel that familiar moment of “Who am I to do this,” I pause and look at the context. More often than not, it means I am stepping into territory where my perspective is different from the norm, which also means it is needed.
Instead of spiraling into self-doubt, I treat that moment as awareness. Awareness becomes clarity. Clarity becomes action.
Belonging Without Shrinking
At the end of her speech, Reshma Saujani encourages graduates to “just ride your bicycle,” a reminder to move forward even when the world tells you to second-guess yourself. For me, that message has become a guide. I show up fully in the rooms that were not designed around people like me, and I do so without shrinking or smoothing out the parts of myself that make me effective.
The goal is not to blend in. It is to build environments, processes, and systems that support who you are and how you work best. That is where true belonging happens.
Imposter syndrome is not a flaw to fix. It is a sign that you are growing, stretching, and stepping into spaces where your presence can change the conversation.
