Second Guessing, Impostor Syndrome, And Moving Forward

When you share anything with the world, it's easy to second-guess if the world needs it.

That nagging voice whispers you're a fake, a fraud, an incompetent non-expert who should just stay quiet.

(And yes, politicians, I see you, though you're a fascinating case study in the opposite problem entirely.)

But here's the thing about second-guessing yourself: the world is already standing by, ready to do that job for you.

They'll decide if you're interesting. They'll tell you if you should have thought harder before speaking. They'll either call you a fraud or thank you for changing their perspective.

Something is going to happen anyway.

So why audition for the role of your own critic when the world has already cast a full ensemble?

Self-awareness is healthy - critical, even.

But if you want to share something (for constructive reasons, of course), ship it.

The crushing weight of impostor syndrome? That's just your mind's way of trying to protect you from imagined dangers.

All you can do is be yourself. The rest? That's just gravy.

h/t Laurie H for the note that inspired this one