Impostor syndrome is the new “depression”.
Almost every creator online claims to have it. And if Mr. Big-Famous Creator has it, all his non-famous followers must too. But the truth is that impostor syndrome has always existed.
And, with some mental discipline, it’s extremely easy to cure.
You will always compare yourself to the others.
Deal with it.
It doesn’t matter what you create or how good you are at something; there’s always someone who is more skilled than you or gets better results. But if you keep on comparing yourself to others, you will always feel inferior in some ways.
Be honest with yourself, give 100% to everything you create, and welcome the results as they are.
Fear of rejection and “resistance”.
More sincere efforts in your creations mean more painful rejections.
In his book “The War of Art”, Steven Pressfield talks about resistance, this invisible force that stops you from acting. The more you feel it, the more important the work you’re trying to put out there. Resistance is a form of protection. It shields you from exposing yourself to judgment. Every creator feels resistance when publishing online. It’s part of the game.
You can’t eliminate it, you can only learn to face it.
Experience, skill and honesty.
Most creators online feel impostor syndrome because they are not as skilled as they claim to be.
They lie about everything because they created a persona people can relate to and admire. You need to be honest with yourself, focus on improving your relevant skills and gain more experience. This alone will make your impostor syndrome a thing of the past.
It’s not an easy or short journey, but it’s very worth it.