You should be celebrating. But instead of a victory lap, you’re mentally walking barefoot on hot stones. You’re looking behind you, waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say, "Sorry, we realised we made a mistake. You're actually not the one we wanted."
This is Impostor Syndrome. I define it as that persistent feeling of inadequacy and wrong belief that you don’t deserve to be where you are. Simply put: you do not see yourself being as capable as others believe you are. According to Dr. Valerie Young, a leading expert on the subject, "people who feel like impostors hold themselves to unrealistic, unsustainable standards of competence" (Young, 2022). She identifies and explains 5 different types of Impostor Syndrome.
It Manifests Everywhere
Impostor syndrome is a silent thief that doesn't just stay at the office; it follows you home.
- In the Workplace: It’s that promotion to a leadership role where you feel the job should have gone to a "more qualified" or "more experienced" colleague.
- At Home: It attacks us as fathers and mothers. You feel like you aren't providing enough or disciplining the kids correctly. You might even feel like you don't want them following in your footsteps because you doubt your own path.
- Among Siblings: Especially for first-borns, the weight of responsibility and privilege can feel misplaced. You might think another sibling is better placed to perform at that level.
But here is the reality: Very few people are immune to this. It affects people in every sphere of life. But if we are to live to our full potential, we must come against it.
The "Mighty" Man in Hiding
There’s a powerful story in the Bible about a man named Gideon that captures this struggle perfectly. When the Angel of the Lord found Gideon, he was hiding in a winepress, trying to process food while staying out of sight of the enemy.
The Angel looked at this man hiding in a hole and said: "The Lord is with you, mighty man of valor!"(Judges 6:12).
What a contradiction! Gideon was acting like a coward, yet Heaven called him a hero. Gideon’s internal "impostor" immediately started talking back. He replied, "I am the least in my father's house, and my tribe is the least in Israel." He was telling God, "You’ve got the wrong guy. My background doesn't match this title."
He even put out fleeces, testing God three times, because he doubted the word of God about his own identity. He just could not see himself as a leader.
The Mindset Shift
Gideon eventually became one of the greatest leaders Israel ever had, but it required a massive mindset shift. Once he stopped succumbing to the syndrome and believed he could perform at the level God claimed he could, everything changed.
The first thing he did was find the courage to break down the idol-worshipping places in his father’s house. When we get rid of impostor syndrome, that’s exactly what happens to us:
- We begin to act like the people we truly are.
- We fit into those seemingly "big shoes" at work.
- We take our rightful positions as leaders in family and community.
Rising to the Occasion
Impostor syndrome is not a good thing to have. It keeps us from achieving our full potential and true purpose. If a new job, promotion, or big responsibility has come your way, don't let the "Gideon Complex" keep you in the background.
Believe in yourself, believe the Word spoken over you, and rise to the occasion. You are capable of performing at the higher level you've been called to.
