Deeper Insight: Your Confidence and Impostor Syndrome Resource Links
If January was DRIVEN’s month to tackle Perfectionism, then February has clearly been about Confidence. I hope you’ve been with us every step of the way during this exploration, and that you’ve discovered an outlook or two that have enhanced your life and helped you rein in the Inner Critic and the Impostor within. Take my recent article, for example: Celebrate Every Win— And Put Your Impostor In Her Place! In it, I illustrated how essential it is to celebrate the tiny wins by laying out the neurochemical benefits. The conclusion: neglecting yourself only adds fuel to the Impostor’s tank!
As with each of DRIVEN’s topics, there’s much more to explore via related DRIVEN articles and external resources— many of which have influenced our mission and refined our programming and other offerings. Here are some of our favorite links with regard to confidence-building and impostor-squashing, most of which will link you to additional resources therein. Check them out, and then reach out to us. We’d love to hear what resonates with you in these areas!
DRIVEN’S Own:
Having surveyed countless professionals about their emotional health in the workplace, I can confidently divulge that every last one of them has an Inner Critic. These critics are the ultimate confidence busters and place the biggest drag on your productivity. You can identify yours as that judgmental little voice in your head that says, “You’re not capable.” Here are links to the multiple DRIVEN articles that have addressed exactly this, offering you priceless insight and direction for restructuring your personal paradigm:
All About Eve: The Road To Reprogramming Your Inner Critic
But What If I Fail?: How Your Inner Critic Chips Away At Confidence
The Twin Within: Your Inner Critic & You
A Voice and A Choice: Your Inner Critic and You, Part 2
Lose That Baggage: Insights on Outsmarting Our Inner Critics, Part 1
Face It, Name It, Tame It: Insights on Outsmarting Our Inner Critics, Part 2
Stretch, Grow & Thrive: Building The Confidence to Defeat The Impostor
Far From Perfect: The Reasons Behind Your Impostor Syndrome
Books:
Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy: This investigates the Impostor Syndrome eloquently. Amy has a warm and welcoming voice and shares heartfelt examples of how her famous TED Talk inspired others to share their sense of doubt and stories about not being enough. It includes some interesting research on how our bodies can help our minds show up more confidently.
The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism by Olivia Fox Cabane: This quick yet compelling read provides superb guidance about building confidence and executive presence for today’s professional. It’s an absolute staple on my bookshelf that I return to often!
The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman: A well-researched, modern classic in neuroscience, this explores the genetics and environmental effects on confidence. It includes stories based on interviews of well-respected business leaders and their battles and triumphs over building confidence.
The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of by Valerie Young: This is the quintessential volume on the Impostor Syndrome’s origins, effects and solutions. Get ready to recognize that you’re NOT alone!
Additional Resources:
The Bruce Lee Podcast: As you might have predicted, there’s one on Confidence. Listen to it HERE.
Take The Test: Give yourself the Impostor Syndrome Test HERE, and learn from the results.
Inspirational Quote: Link HERE to read a key confidence excerpt (or the entire speech) called The Man In The Arena, from Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 delivery: Citizenship In A Republic.
In my follow-up article, I’ll explore releasing the tendency towards martyrism and re-leasing life through the lens of self-care— both on a macro level (our greater energy of Mental, Physical, Spiritual, Emotional) and on a micro-level of movement and tiny changes in diet and mindset to nurture your different physiologies and holistic wellness.