Plot Twist: Maybe You're Not an Imposter – You're Just Learning

Here's a radical thought: What if that knot in your stomach during meetings isn't imposter syndrome at all? What if it's just what learning feels like?

Think back to learning to ride a bike. Did anyone call it "cyclist imposter syndrome" when you wobbled? Of course not. You were learning. It was supposed to feel uncertain.

But somewhere along the way, people sold us this lie that expertise means never feeling uncertain. That if we're really qualified and really belong here, we should always feel confident, always know the answer, and always be sure.

I call B.S.!

Every new project is like learning to ride a bike in a different gravity. Every new framework is a new language. Every time you step into a new space, you're rewiring neural pathways.

Of course, it feels wobbly.

When you're:

• Stumbling through a new methodology
• Wrestling with unfamiliar theories
• Speaking up in spaces where you're still learning the language
• Trying to find your voice in a new field

That's not imposter syndrome. That's growth happening in real-time.

The problem isn't your uncertainty. It's the culture that expects us to emerge fully formed, perfectly versed in every aspect of our field.

So next time that familiar feeling creeps in try this reframe:

• "I feel uncertain because I'm learning."
• "I feel uncomfortable because I'm growing."
• "I feel challenged because I'm pushing boundaries."

Your brain on learning isn't supposed to feel like your brain on autopilot.

The next time someone asks if you're experiencing imposter syndrome, maybe try: "Nah, this is just what expansion feels like."

Head up. Deep breath. Keep wobbling. Keep learning. Keep growing.

That's literally what we're here for.