A few years ago, a highly intelligent younger friend explained the concept of “imposter syndrome” to me. I had never heard of it, but I was fascinated to hear her explanation. I won’t go into a complex definition here other than to say it’s a little bit like you know you belong somewhere, but you’re afraid that people will just think you’re pretending to fit into your area of expertise. If you’re interested in learning a bit more about it, try this link on Very Well Mind. My friend was in her twenties, and I understood how “imposter syndrome” could be a fear for someone her age. I also recognized that I had experienced the feeling of it myself when I was younger, but age and experience have tempered the feeling of being an imposter.
Once you have put in a couple of decades in a career, you should be able to recognize your skills, strengths, and weaknesses. I find as I’m sliding rapidly toward fifty that I know all of those things, and my view of myself is also tempered by reality. I’ve also recognized another interesting phase of professional life with which I struggle. I understand how to set reasonable goals and work toward them, but I find myself a bit afraid of my potential. Please don’t read what I’m not saying here. I’m not bragging about my awesome skills. I’m just self-aware of my strong points, and I sometimes worry about how plans might turn out. Why is that a problem? Simply, success comes with greater responsibilities, and as I move toward a different phase in life, I have to ask myself if I want all the responsibilities that come with meeting bigger and bigger goals.
For people with hard-charging personalities, this idea will be confusing. For those who prefer a slower pace in life, this will make perfect sense. Sometimes we have big goals, dreams, and ideas, and we can see exactly how they should play out. We understand the work and time involved, and we are committed to seeing it through to the end. However, there are times when we look at an idea, the process to fulfill it, and the long-term work involved, and we are just like, “Nope.” We are uninterested in seeing it through because of the length and depth of the project.
Then there is what I’m talking about today. We have a good idea, a great plan, and all the factors to complete it, and we are utterly terrified of what will happen if we keep going. We aren’t afraid of the work involved in succeeding, and we will gladly work long hours to advance our goal. However, nestled in the back of our minds is the fear of what we can’t control. We’re afraid that our project will take off, grow, and bring a whole new set of unknown factors related to its success. Those unknown factors are hard to plan for, and planning is where we thrive. Therefore, we are afraid of our potential for success, and we find ourselves standing around trying to avoid following through on the plan.
I’ve been waging a mental battle for the last several months over two new blog ideas. I have dozens of concepts ready in my head, but I also know that both of them are niche ideas that may take off with dedicated followers. This will add the extra layer of complexity involved in interacting more frequently with readers and dealing with increased numbers of subscribers. To be honest, I’ve been stalling on one of the ideas because I’m dreading the possibility of it succeeding for those very reasons. To be realistic, both could be a total flop, and all my fears would be for nothing. However, I’ve slowly realized I’m tired of being frightened of the potential of success. Instead, I want to throw the project out there and just see what happens. If it sticks, I’ll deal with the unknown factors as they come. If it fails, at least I’ll know I tried.
If you find yourself frightened of your potential, join the club, but don’t let it keep you from trying. I’ve lived with enough regrets in life that I’m willing to fail, but I’m also willing to succeed even if it comes with unknown consequences because it beats living with the regret of never trying. If you know your potential and are wise enough to know your strengths and weaknesses, don’t let fear of success keep you from trying. Just give it a go.
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Inspirational Verses for the Day:
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. (1 Peter 5:10, NLT)
All Things Subject to Change 