At some point in every solopreneur’s journey, they are going to run headlong into a bad case of imposter syndrome. There is no getting around it, and if you don’t, you are probably not being completely forthcoming about what's going on in their mind. If you don’t ever struggle with imposter syndrome, you are probably an egomaniac or a total narcissist. That is not a diagnosis, just my observation as an outside observer. But on with the story.

How do I identify imposter syndrome?

If you are a normal person, you will struggle with this at some point in your life. But how do you know it when it happens?

You’ll get offered an opportunity, but you end up turning it down because in your heart, you do not believe you are up to the task, it scares you, or you convince yourself that there is someone better, you’ll mess up the whole thing, or whatever else.

But here’s the deal: if someone else reaches out to you, they obviously feel you are qualified enough to do whatever it is. So why do we end up talking ourselves down?

I don’t have a psychological explanation; if I did, that would be off-brand. I prefer to lay things out as I’ve seen them, and I always relate them anecdotally to how my life has played out.

Imposter syndrome is a small voice in your mind that tells you you’re not good enough. And sometimes, it is right, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a go anyway. If the opportunity presents itself, do it!

My mantra is always to punch up, not down.

Years ago, in a past life, I worked around a bunch of Air Force pilots. Some were really cool guys, others super douchy. But one thing I learned was that I was smarter than a lot of those guys. There was nothing magical or mystical about what they did or how they did it. The sort of Top Gun mystique surrounding those guys in the green overalls and sunglasses did not pan out. They are normal people who do normal things, and while they are generally quite smart, they are not anything super special. A lot of them are just guys who didn’t listen to imposter syndrome, either.

What’s the point? Surround yourself with people who are a step above where you want to be, not at or below. Success breeds success.

My first bout with I.S. almost derailed my career

The headline here is a misnomer; it actually happened twice.

First, let’s step back nearly a decade ago to the summer of 2013.

This was a few years before I even knew what freelancing was.

I was working in the National Guard, wearing the uniform daily, when a co-worker showed me a job at nearby Fort Leavenworth. The job was running their airport.

While I had been formally trained in airport management, I had only been doing it for about four years. I felt totally underqualified to take over an airport and be the manager instead of an operations specialist. But I put in for it anyway.

Much to my surprise, I got a call to interview. To be honest, I thought I bombed the interview. But then, a few weeks later, my references started calling me and telling me that the hiring manager was calling them, asking about me.

At the time, I was only 29. The thought of taking over a real airport scared the shit out of me. When Tom, the hiring manager, and director, emailed me a job offer, I broke into sweats. But I got over it and decided to push through my fears. And it’s a good thing I did because I went on and worked there for 7 ½ years and grew to really love that job.

The next bout with imposter syndrome nearly derailed where I am now: I almost passed over my first gig on Upwork because I was so convinced I wasn’t good enough to write.

I wasn’t even looking for a freelancing career; I had an account for other reasons and was contacted by a client who needed a writer/editor. I was so close to turning it down, but my wife, who is very wise, talked me into taking it. How’d it turn out? You be the judge.

What do I do about imposter syndrome?

There is only one solution for beating imposter syndrome: take action.

That’s it. Do you know how to convince your mind that you are, in fact, an authoritative writer? By writing a bunch.

It’s the same with any and all disciplines. The only way to beat back I.S. is to train your brain to no longer identify as an imposter. How can you be an imposter if you have years of experience? Or if you have written tens or hundreds of thousands of words?

So, in short, you need to stop thinking and start acting. If you want to write and be a respected writer, then get to writing. It doesn’t matter what about. Just do it. If it’s video, start producing videos. You get the picture.

Doing is the most powerful way to train your brain. Theorizing does not train it to do anything. You must take action! Otherwise, you will always sit on the sideline, hoping your turn is next. But it won’t be because you’ve been outhustled by someone else who decided to kick imposter syndrome in the balls and take what could have been yours.

The choice is yours. You get to decide whether you will succumb to imposter syndrome or you will put yourself out there and create the life you want.

If you are ready to start but have no clue where to begin, I suggest my ebook on Upwork. I explain how it worked for me, how I got to top-rated plus, and how I have stayed there. It’s a quick read, but it might just land you your first client.

And if you have been going for a while and are ready to level up, I just introduced a monthly coaching program. This is for you if you are ready to stack cash and want to know exactly how to make it rain. It ain’t cheap, but you’ve got to pay to play, and I will not bullshit you or waste your time. Hardly any writers get to where I am in terms of earnings, and I am damn proud of that. Click the link if you’re ready to take it to the next level.