Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome: Becoming Your Own Biggest Cheerleader
Overcoming Self-doubt and imposter syndrome—their voices echo in your mind like an annoying, relentless song that you can’t get out of your head. We've all heard them at one point or another: the whispering voices of people who claim to know better, the internal critic who insists that you're not enough or the nagging sensation that you're a fraud. These feelings are more common than most of us realise, yet they can be some of the most paralysing obstacles we face on our journey toward achieving our goals.
Overcoming Self-doubt and Imposter Syndrome Topic Overview
You're Not Just a Dreamer, You're a Go-Getter
When people call you a dreamer, they often mean it as a subtle dig. It’s their way of suggesting that you’re chasing fantasies, that your goals are unattainable. But let me tell you something: dreamers are the ones who change the world. Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome is part of that journey—it’s what allows dreamers to turn visions into reality. And if you’re out there taking consistent action to make those dreams come true, you’re not just a dreamer—you’re a go-getter.
I’ve been called a dreamer more times than I can count, but I know now that being a dreamer isn’t the insult people think it is. Yes, I dream big. Yes, I have visions for a future that others can’t see. But I don’t just dream—I act. I set goals. I work hard. I take risks, and sometimes I fail. But failure is a part of the journey, and it’s only when you fail that you learn, grow and build resilience.
What separates a dreamer from a go-getter is action. I’m a Disney kid through and through so try telling me ‘it’s not possible’. Take Tangled’s “When Will My Life Begin?”, Rapunzel yearning for the day she can finally leave her tower and live the life she’s always dreamed of. Yet, only the day she decided to pursue her own dreams, did her life truly change. Same goes for real life: your life begins the moment you start taking action, not the moment you’re given permission to pursue your dreams. No one is going to open the door for you. No one is going to hand you success on a silver platter. You have to be the one to step up, take charge and go after what you want—whether others believe in you or not.
The Voices in Your Head Are Not Your Own
What makes self-doubt and imposter syndrome so insidious is that they often come from the outside, but they lodge themselves inside your mind, repeating on a loop until you start believing them as if they are your own thoughts. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone’s negative comment and replayed it in my mind days, weeks or even months later.
For me, these feelings of self-doubt have often been amplified by the people around me—their comments, their judgments, their mockery, their inconsistent behaviours. You know the ones. The kind of people who sit at their Sunday dinner tables or whilst they’re watching evening television, sharing stories, laughing about you, things you have done (or haven’t done), about how far-fetched your goals seem. It’s a scene I have witnessed more than I am comfortable with, that includes being made the joke too. I can still visualise their smirks as they say how you’ll never make it or “Who does she think she is?”—as if they’re narrating my life like some kind of cautionary tale. I think the part I struggle with most is when comments towards the exact things they say you should be doing, you then do and then its either not good enough or is completely ignored when you do achieve them- that has been a wake up call, who were you doing it for then? Validation? To be liked? No more.
What I’ve come to realise, though, is that their laughter, their doubt and their cynicism tell you a lot more about them than they do about you. These people—whether friends, family, colleagues or even strangers—are often projecting their own insecurities onto you. They can’t fathom the possibility of success beyond the safe, ordinary path they’ve taken. So, when they see someone dreaming big, it unsettles them. And when they see you taking actions to bring those dreams to life, it terrifies them and some even feel threatened by them. They don’t see the vision you have for your life or they choose not to. People who are truly happy and fulfilled don’t spend their time tearing others down. They don’t need to. They’re too busy living their own lives, pursuing their own passions and rooting for others to succeed. The fact that some people feel the need to diminish your dreams is a reflection of their own fear, their own insecurity and their own dissatisfaction with where they are in life, yet choosing to not do something to change exactly that.
The Journey Is Long and Hard- But It's Yours.
The journey to success, happiness and fulfilment is not a short or easy one. It’s full of roadblocks, failures and a grand serving of doubt. There will be times when you feel like giving up, when the weight of other people’s opinions feels too heavy to carry. But no one said the road to your dreams would be easy. What matters is that you keep going.
If you’re expecting a smooth, straight path, you’re going to be disappointed. There’s no constant gradient here. Success is messy. It’s full of ups and downs, setbacks and breakthroughs. But every obstacle you face is an opportunity to grow, to prove to yourself that you’re capable of more than you think.
Think of it like swimming through an ocean—sometimes the waves are calm and you can glide effortlessly toward your goal (here you may visualise surfing, but for me, I’m chilling on a lilo); other times, the waves are choppy and it feels like you’re fighting against the current (drowning). But no matter how rough the waters get, you have to keep swimming. As Dory famously says in Finding Nemo, ‘Just keep swimming.’ Keep pushing forward, even when it feels like you’re not making progress, because every push forward gets you closer to where you want to be.
Imposter Syndrome Is a Lie
Imposter syndrome—the feeling that you’re a fraud, that you don’t deserve your achievements, that you’re somehow unqualified or unworthy—is something almost everyone experiences at some point. Here’s the kicker: the more successful you become, the more likely you are to experience it. That’s because as you grow, you step into new roles, take on bigger challenges and enter spaces where you may not feel fully comfortable. But just because something is new or challenging doesn’t mean you don’t belong there, it is just unknown (for now).
Imposter syndrome is a lie we tell ourselves to keep us small, to keep us from stepping into our full potential. It’s a defence mechanism—a way of protecting ourselves from the fear of failure or rejection. We are conditioned that way. But the fact is, if you’re experiencing imposter syndrome, it’s often a sign that you’re pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, that you’re growing, evolving and taking on new challenges.
Overcoming Self-doubt and Imposter Syndrome can feel overwhelming and it’s something I’ve battled deeply. Take My Mindful Moments – I spent nearly two years writing my book, drawing from my decade of experience working with children and all the life lessons I’ve had around young people, myself included. I poured everything into it, investing all my savings to publish it because for me, it’s about the impact I want to make and the WHY behind everything I do. And yet, despite all this dedication, imposter syndrome whispered that I wasn’t good enough, that I didn’t have the right to share my story, telling me my expertise, experiences weren’t ‘enough’. Reality check: imposter syndrome is nothing but a lie, designed to hold us back. Promoting my book is an act of courage and stepping into my power is the only way to truly create change. I own my journey and I’ll keep pushing forward, because my voice—and yours—deserves to be heard.
The key is to recognise imposter syndrome for what it is: a lie, false, negative. When those thoughts creep in—when you start to question whether you belong, whether you’re good enough, whether you deserve to be where you are—pause. This is absolutely where you are supposed to be. Remind yourself that you’ve earned your place. You’ve worked hard. You deserve to be here.
Be Your Own Biggest Cheerleader
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you have to be your own biggest cheerleader in life. No one else is going to champion your dreams the way you will. No one else will believe in your potential as deeply as you do. No one else is going to feel the passion and drive for the same things as you. And that’s okay. You don’t need a crowd of people cheering you on. You just need you.
There will be days when overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome feels impossible, when the voices of others ring louder than your own, and when these feelings make you question if you deserve the success you’ve worked so hard for. In those moments, you have to be the one to silence those voices and remind yourself of everything you’ve accomplished. You have to be the one to tell yourself, “I’ve got this. I’m capable. I’m worthy.” And if those voices feel overwhelming one day, take time to rest, step back, or even take a nap—that’s my go-to.
It’s easy to look to others for validation, to seek reassurance that you’re on the right path. I have found that I did that a lot because I feared being alone or not liked by someone. But external validation is fleeting. It comes and goes, and if you rely on it too much, you’ll find yourself constantly chasing approval. Instead, learn to trust yourself. Learn to validate your own experiences, your own dreams, your own worth. It won’t glow every day, just make sure it does more days than it does not!
Closing thoughts...
If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and imposter syndrome, there’s only one way to break free: take action. For so many of us, we sit around waiting for life to start, waiting for the perfect moment to pursue our dreams, waiting for permission to go after what we want. But the truth is, your life begins the moment you stop waiting and start doing. Sounds cliché, but trust me, it is real.
Action is the antidote to fear, doubt and imposter syndrome. The more you do, the more you’ll prove to yourself that you’re capable, that you’re worthy, that you belong. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up, day after day and doing the work. It’s about failing and getting back up. Resilience at its finest. It’s about taking risks, even when you’re scared. Because the only way to achieve your dreams is to take action—consistently, relentlessly and unapologetically.
Self-doubt and imposter syndrome will always be there, lurking in the background, waiting to rear their ugly heads when you least expect it. But they don’t have to control you. Our time on this planet is short. Keep going, keep dreaming, keep swimming.
