The Happy Imposter

Have you ever found yourself in a room, looking around, wondering how everyone else seems so confident, so certain, so at ease—while you’re quietly hoping no one notices the doubt tucked behind your polished exterior? Welcome to the club. It’s called being human. And more specifically, it's the experience of the “imposter syndrome”—a term so many of us are familiar with, and yet still so quick to believe applies only to us.

But here’s a little secret: most of us, especially those in highly responsible roles or uncharted situations, feel like we’re winging it. We’re leading teams, making decisions, building things that didn’t exist before—all while a voice in the back of our minds whispers, “You’re not really supposed to be here.”

And yet we are.

Out of comfort into flow

The truth is, the further you travel from your comfort zone, the louder that imposter voice gets. It's a signal—not that you're a fraud, but that you're growing. Being in uncertain territory is not a sign of inadequacy; it’s a sign of expansion. You're doing something new, different, brave. And it's perfectly normal to feel uncomfortable in that space.

We often respond to this discomfort by tightening up—working harder, getting more qualifications, trying to perfect ourselves into silence. Or worse, by letting fear steer our decisions. But what if instead, we allowed that discomfort to be there, and chose to move forward anyway?

Allow it and create anyway

Feeling like an imposter doesn’t disqualify you from success, creativity, or leadership. It actually puts you in the same mental neighborhood as just about every artist, innovator, leader, and dreamer who ever did something worthwhile. The key isn’t to eliminate the feeling. The key is to stop letting it define you.

You don’t have to fake confidence to be effective. You don’t have to “overcome” the feeling of not knowing—it’s okay to admit you don’t have all the answers. You can be competent, smart, and still unsure. That’s not weakness. That’s real. That’s human.

So, Be the Happy Imposter

What if you stopped seeing imposter syndrome as a flaw, and instead embraced it as a sign you’re stretching yourself? What if, instead of letting it erode your confidence, you let it be a quiet companion—an odd little reminder that you’re doing something that matters?

You’re not alone in feeling this way. Most people are doing their best in a swirl of uncertainty. The difference isn’t who’s faking it best, but who’s creating anyway.

So go ahead—be the imposter. Be the one who doubts and creates anyway. Be the one who doesn't feel ready and still steps up. Be the one who befriends the voice in their head and keeps going anyway.

Be the Happy Imposter.