Unfortunately, imposter syndrome is a common struggle and the more we grow, the stronger it seems to get. So how can we turn around and say it’s actually a good thing when all our experiences with it have been discouraging? When all it has done is make us question ourselves?

Everything we’ve heard about imposter syndrome frames it as a problem - something to overcome, silence, or outgrow. But what if it’s actually a sign that you’re on the right path? Feeling like an imposter usually means you’re doing something that stretches you, something that matters. It’s the uncomfortable space between where you were and where you’re headed. And while it’s tempting to see that discomfort as proof you don’t belong, maybe it’s actually proof that you’re learning, growing and stepping into the bigger shoes you’ve been preparing for.

Nobody feels like an imposter in a space where they’re stagnant. If you’re coasting, doing the same thing you’ve always done, imposter syndrome won’t show up. It only tends to appear when you push boundaries, take risks, or find yourself in rooms you once admired from a distance. That inner voice telling you you’re not good enough? It’s not evidence that you’re failing. It’s evidence that you’re in motion.

Yet we treat imposter syndrome like a flaw or like something we need to eliminate before we can succeed. But what if we reframe it? What if, instead of seeing it as a roadblock, we recognize it as a signpost? Instead of waiting for it to disappear, we move forward anyway, understanding that self-doubt doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. It just means we’re doing something worthwhile.