Imposter Syndrome

A funny thing happens on your way to becoming an authority. A big part of you starts feeling like a fraud.

“Who am I to be giving advice to anyone? There are so many others with more experience, drive, passion, expertise and (fill in the blank)_____________!”

This is widely known as “Imposter Syndrome”. And the usual advice is to focus on your accomplishments and to share them honestly instead of worrying about them not being “enough”. And to remember that to a 3rd grader, a 4th grader is a god.

And this is fine, but it doesn’t treat the real problem, and in a way makes it worse, because it’s based on comparing yourself to some outside measure of worth.

This has big consequences if you ever want to be on camera.

So what is the true source of your discomfort?

The problem is that you have handed over your authority to the purposes of nature. It’s nature herself in you, as she is in billions of others and all the animals and other living things on this planet, having her way with you.

One Nature, six billion souls helping her do her thing.

Sleeping, fearful, anxious souls who never suspect they’re being commanded by something other than themselves.

But we also have access to a higher nature, one that lives permanently in the present moment, ever-renewing and completely content within itself. That is our true inheritance.

In other words, this fear and anxiety is not even meant to be part of our psychology. We are here to have command over our Nature nature, not to be commanded by it.

And how do you know you’re not in command? Well, when you reach for command. Only someone without it tries to achieve it.

Whatever your authority is about in the world, you also have a deeper well of authority. That’s your ability to choose between what the imposter is telling you to be fearful of and what your higher nature is telling you to be mindful of.

So yes, there is an imposter.

There may even be a whole cast of them, popping up seemingly for no reason. That low level of self, if you even want to call it that, is not you. It cannot grow, cannot learn, cannot ever know reality, love or have even a fleeting glimpse of the present moment.

All it can do is try to make you think it IS you so that it can continue it’s existence at your expense.

You don’t need to reach for authority. Just let go of all that which is NOT your authority.

When you step in front of the camera in your OWN authority, magical things can happen.

    2 replies to "Imposter!"

    • Linda Kaun

      Steve,

      So brilliant!!! What I most love is your ability to speak of these deep spiritual truths in everyday language and bring everyone along with you. So inspiring for me. Thank You,

      Linda

      • Steven Washer

        Thank you for those kind words, Linda. And keep up the good vibes you’re bringing into your world!
        I checked 🙂

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