14 Quick And Easy Ways To Crush Imposter Syndrome

My wife couldn't believe that I had just taken two tequila shots right before I was called onstage.

Look, what else was I going to do? I was part of an elite group of startup founders, and I was about to receive one of our city's prestigious "40 Under 40" awards for the year's top and most influential entrepreneurs.

On some level, I knew I'd earned it. Going from a $12.25 per hour staff nurse to founder and CEO of one of the fastest-growing medical staffing firms in the US.

So what was the problem, one might ask?

Frankly, I had no idea. All I knew is that I was in the company of a unique group of people. Entrepreneurs and creators who had, and were, making a difference and "holy heck, who am I to be on the same stage as THEM?"

I figured the tequila shots would give me a little liquid courage, but it wasn't until years later that I realized I had been afflicted by a phenomenon that gets even the best of us.

Imposter syndrome.

First identified in 1978, impostor syndrome is basically the belief that you've only succeeded due to luck and not because of your talent or qualifications. While there are numerous articles and studies around it, this article in Time Magazine really summarizes what I, and perhaps you, have and will go through.

While I certainly do not recommend tequila as a solution, I would, though, recommend any or all of these fourteen proven ideas for building your confidence. Not necessarily to receive an award, but also so you can magnetically attract the kind of life, business, and achievements you deserve.

Go ahead now, choose, and put into practice the ones that best resonate best with you.

1. Music

Much the way an athlete does before a game, the right tunes at the right time may be all a person needs to amp up their confidence. It's one of the simplest tricks in any book, bar none. Take it up an extra notch, create your own personalized playlist, and crank it up whenever you need a confidence boost.

The same way we listen to somber melodies in sad moments, so can be thumping tunes or even loud music actually raise our spirits to the point where we take massive action and build winning momentum.

On a personal note, I've found the theme from the original "Rocky" soundtrack fits the bill perfectly. Every time I hear it, even if I don't need a confidence boost, I'm boosted.

2. Dress for Success

How you look is sometimes half the battle. This doesn't mean you need a 007, James Bond-style tux, unless you're into that, of course. But It does mean putting on duds that boost your self-confidence and make you feel like a million bucks.

Trying to emulate James Bond probably isn't the best idea anyway, truth be told, and on that note, trying to copy someone you admire or an influencer isn't a good idea unless that's a look you can totally relate to and pull off. 

More importantly, and as the saying goes, dress for the role you wish to have. Or, dress the part. And when you settle on what works, be sure to take careful note of how you feel when you're dressed for success.

3. Adopt a Mantra and Live By It

"I know in my heart that this will turn out greater than my wildest dream."

That's a phrase I say to myself when I'm in doubt. When I'm uncertain about a decision I just made or am close to completing.

Mantras can be a powerful motivator and also a simple reminder. Since understanding the power of a mantra, especially since the tequila 'incident', I now repeat this whenever I need an instant boost.

Become the hero of your story, adapt a mantra, and soar to new heights. It's bound to happen when you not only adopt a mantra but genuinely live by it and embrace what it means.

"You didn't come this far to only come this far." is an excellent mantra that anyone can adopt, especially when striving to build habits of success that increase your confidence.

4. Tiny Goals

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Right? As such, every dream worth achieving starts with small goals. So start small.

Are significant changes or decisions on the horizon? The truth is, there will never be the right time to begin, so don't wait… start small.

For example, say you've wanted to write that book for years now, but it feels vast and daunting. 

Chunk it down. 

Start with a simple outline first. 

Once you've nailed it, then write the intro, and once a day after that, commit to writing 300 words per day. By the end of 30 days, you'll have written at least 9,000 words and will have something you can begin to feel proud of.

Tiny goals. 

Start there, and when you start to surround yourself with little wins, or micro-successes, you are essentially sending yourself a wicked strong message - "I deserve this, and I CAN have this in my life!" (there's that mantra thing again).

5. Make Confidence a Habit

Sometimes it seems as if other people were born with confidence. That couldn't be further from the truth. 

Confidence is earned and learned. 

We all choose to either be a product of our environment or have our environment be a product of us.

Confidence is a conscious choice that we must work on daily. 

When faced with fear, as we all are and will be, the ability to change negative thoughts and feelings into positive and confident actions is a habit we must work on each and every day.

Confidence is not something only the lucky few who "succeed" have. Nope. Anyone can attain it - all you have to do is make it a habit.

6. Master The Mundane

Does practice make perfect? Or does perfect practice make perfect? Who knows. The more significant point is to practice, practice, and practice some more.

While it may seem tedious, almost in a Karate Kid 'wax on-wax off' way, mastering the mundane will set you free and set you up for ultimate success and confidence.

The best confidence booster around is knowing you're prepared to face whatever is in front of you because you've practiced repeatedly. You mastered it.

So write those 300 words daily. Read over the transcripts or listen to the audio you prepared for that big meeting, but you must do it. Whatever it is, do it, practice it, master it and be sure you walked through the delivery of it many times over.

Knowing what to do because you've prepared for it is one of the surest ways to step up and step out in legitimate confidence.

7. Know Your Own Worth

You've seen them. You've heard them. Now be one.

Fact is, the most confident folks are those who grasp their own worth: What their time is worth, what their life experience and expertise are worth, and what their services are worth. And the best do it in a way that is both with confidence and humility.

And that's actually the secret here. To know your worth in such a way that you exude confidence and at the same time come across in a genuine, humble fashion.

When you realize how truly unique and valuable you are to your company, clients, family, and self, you will have the confidence to set a realistic and healthy value on your worth. 

And this goes a long way to help kick imposter syndrome in the teeth.

8. Practicing Daily Gratitude

There's already hundreds of memes about this, and the fact is, it's as accurate now as it ever was.

Having an attitude of gratitude.

While there's no singular, best way to practice this, often the best way (in my opinion) is every day you wake up. Yes, the act of waking up, opening your eyes to another day is one of the most grateful things a person could ask for.

So start your day with a moment of gratitude.

Doing this one thing can be a great starting point, and then add to it one to three things that you do that day that would make you proud. Celebrate something from yesterday even. You can make it about the past, the present, what you will do today or what you achieved yesterday.

For example:

"Today, I'm grateful for waking up and the opportunity the day will bring. Yesterday I helped a client write and send four awesome converting emails; I'm grateful that my kids are well and healthy and also that my Freelance Nurse Academy course took in $600 in sales for Day 7 of our launch."

9. Do the Hard Stuff First

If you fill a jar with sand first, you won't fit any rocks in later. The jar is your day. The sand is the easy stuff. The rocks, well, they're the hard stuff.

Start with the rocks. The hard stuff first. Then it's much easier to fill in the nooks and crannies with the sand. Feel me?

Smashing those rocks, first thing, is a quick and effective way to build your confidence in any situation. Some folks call it a 'to-do' list, but the successful folks just get it done and win.

Crushing those significant "to-do's" first thing will not only increase your confidence level but jolt you with energy too.

10. Be a Finisher!

This could just be another way of saying, "don't quit." Whichever one you choose, the result is the same.

Finish what you start.

You've already broken down some rocks (see the one above); now it's time to finish what you started and fill in the sand. This could mean writing some extra words for that book. Perhaps knocking out a few more emails. The bottom line is to wrap up the small stuff now, so your day is a win.

And hey, this could mean you can call it a day and ride the wave of success, pick up the kids from school, or sneak a happy hour in with the spouse. Whatever it is, it's all predicated on your being a finisher first.

11. Make Perpetual Learning Part of Your Life

They say that if you're not growing, you're dying. 

There's lots of truth to that statement which is why continual learning is a must. Staying ahead of the curve, abreast of your industry leaders in the latest changes, improvements, or information in your field is another right way to dramatically boost your confidence.

This might involve online learning, seeking one-on-one mentoring, maintaining certifications, going to lectures, or reading industry-specific journals. 

The moral of the story here is to stay on the cutting edge and as proactive as you can be. You don't want to be on the lagging side of the curve but rather to BE the curve.

12. Give your time

Volunteering is not only selfless, but it's also a great way to boost your confidence. Service to others can never be underestimated.

Whether it's volunteering at your church, giving your time to new startup entrepreneurs, or simply delivering a talk at your local chamber of commerce, giving your time not only gives you a boost but it provides to others as well.

Be the first to volunteer.

The more folks you share knowledge with, the more people you help, the more you'll find your confidence naturally soars.

13. Compliment Others

Being on that stage was the ultimate compliment. Nerve-racking for sure, but when I reflected back on that day, I realized it was quite an honor.

So now imagine being able to bestow that feeling in others.

You know how to do that?

Praise them. Lift them up. Say something genuine, and that comes from the heart, and that one simple act may change the life of another. Especially yours.

Being able to compliment others makes it a bit easier to accept compliments yourself. Being able to give and receive compliments gives you an attitude of confidence in return.

14. Take Action

All of what you've read so far won't matter a bit if you don't act on it.

Nike famously summed this step up with their slogan, "Just Do It".

Don't stop to smell any roses (yet), and don't waste time overthinking what you know you should do. 

Thinking leads to over-thinking, which many times leads to procrastination and paralysis of action. 

Be the one who steps up and takes action when others are still tossing around possible solutions: While they dork around over the cost of new writing software, you'll pick up your pen and go. 

You'll pick it up and write for all you've got.

Action speaks, and taking action is empowering. So lead by example, and be that "action person" folks will look up to and admire.

About That Tequila

I did end up going on stage, and truth be told, the tequila helped calm my nerves. I can't lie about that. But it wasn't until afterward that I realized I needed something longer lasting. Something I could take and practice anywhere and anytime.

These fourteen micro methods, put into practice daily, are the sure-fire way to help you, and help others, crush imposter and finally take ownership of your successes and draw humble strength from it.