Struggling with Imposter Syndrome? Read This

The only way you can be an imposter is if you refuse to take your own medicine/advice.

There. I said it.

I work with SO many brilliant coaches who genuinely care about their clients, are able to deliver results (all the while worrying that they’re not good enough) and really the antidote is to realize that as long as you are deeply committed to the work – to all aspects of the coaching process (emotional, tactical, relational, etc), you’re the real deal.

So let’s talk about the money and get rid of the Imposter Syndrome

The biggest area I see imposter syndrome come up is when it comes time to charge clients for your services. Many of the people I work with know that they need to increase their rates, but they’re still charging way too little. Often, the fear to ask for more money is a direct reflection of your own insecurity and resistance around money, as well as your deep-rooted sense of being a fraud and that you’ll be found out.

Everyone knows the little voice. The nagging sensation deep in your chest that tells you you’re a fake. You aren’t good enough. You don’t deserve success or money or happiness. Imposter syndrome is insidious because it always points to some deeper rooted fear. And it can manifest itself in some truly devastating ways. You have to figure out every fear you have that’s coming up around money, and face them head on.

Today, we’re going to connect you to your truth and your specific price, by facing your fears head on.

In this training, we’ll go through a body scan exercise to help align you with the deeper fear in your subconscious that is holding you back from charging your clients the big bucks.

Journal Exercise – Part 1

Get out a notebook and sit down in a quiet room with no distractions. Now, start thinking. When you think about raising your rates, what comes up in your body? What are the physical sensations that you feel? Chest tightness? Nausea? Racing heart? Do your abdominals flex or your legs turn to jelly? Write it all down.

Next, write down your emotions. Do you feel fear, anger, doubt, nervousness? Take note of everything going on in your body.

We start with a body scan because one of the best tools you can use to get in touch with your truth and subconscious, is your body. If your subconscious isn’t in agreement with your conscious goals, your body will tell you. Now that you have these sensations written down, the next thing to do is examine them head on.

Journaling Prompt – Part 2

When you say you’re going to raise your rates or charge a higher price, what you’re really saying is that you’re committed to showing up more. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll work more hours — it’s more about being energetically committed to the work.

That can be really scary, because like any commitment, it makes you vulnerable. So what tends to happen is a lot of imposter syndrome comes up. If you ask for more money and you’re scared it’s a reflection of your insecurity.

Start by picturing the price you want to charge. It doesn’t need to be an exact number, it can be a ballpark or rounded up.

Then write this down: 

“If I were to charge $______, I fear that …”

Take ten minutes and write out the first two or three things that come to your mind to finish this sentence. They don’t have to be profound, they don’t even need to be true. Just write it down.

What comes up? 

Maybe you’re afraid that you’ll be shut down and immediately rejected. That “no” may confirm a belief about yourself — that you’re not worthy, not good enough, not lovable. It feels heavy and devastating, but you need to acknowledge that it’s there (this is NOT the same as buying into it or agreeing with it). Just notice what’s there.

Another fear that may come up is the fear of losing clients and going out of business. That could tie back to a fear of rejection also, or perhaps a fear of failure. A confirmation that you aren’t good enough or that you’ll never be successful.

The good thing is, your subconscious mind has now given you clarity. 

I want you to notice as you feel into these fears, if you feel them in the body, what is the sensation? Write it down. Tightness in your stomach, heartburn, jelly legs, whatever it feels just write it down.

Your conscious mind may not even want to touch your true, deep rooted fear. In fact, you may find yourself coming up with these other distracting objections and resistances, but what you’re really terrified of is that you don’t have the goods.

If things become too intense or overwhelming, back off but know this is something you need to seek help with. Because it’s clouding your judgement and making you misread the data. It’s going to be very difficult to achieve your goals without dealing with this thing that’s too intense to deal with alone.You’re not meant to be alone. And you’re not a fraud.

In fact, I promise you that whatever this exercise reveals is destined to become a power source for you – it’s your story, your journey and everything that has felt like an obstacle is about to become a super power.

And if you want to do this work supported, reach out and we can chat about whether we’re the right fit and whether it’s the right time.