"But She's Smarter than Me."

“I think she’s smarter than me and so articulate,” she told me.

My client shared this with me recently, and my mind flashed through the thousands of moments I’ve felt this too (and still do). It’s a special kind of comparison imposter syndrome cocktail. 

Comment below if you’ve felt this or thought this before.

Here’s what happens when we’re in this mindset: We hold back. We speak up less, and we don’t even allow our own genius out of the cage. And it hurts everyone, because when you stay quiet, everyone misses out.

And so, you’re scared that maybe if you were up against someone in an actual test, they would score higher.

Before I say the next part, let me say first that I know that feeling not smart SUCKS…NO one loves feeling stupid, and our culture puts a LOT of value in “knowing it all.”

My questions to you…

• Is being the smartest the most important thing you need to be great at your job?

• What does being the smartest in the room get you?

• Are the most successful people always the smartest?

We KNOW that success requires a balance of academic, street, creativity and emotional (the list goes on…) intelligence. Notice how much emphasis you’re putting on *just* the academic part. Remember that we all have a unique mix of all of these.

LEAN IN to the ones that come naturally to you, BELIEVE that they are VALUABLE AF, and honestly, lose your ego a little and take notes from the people around you might have a strength in an area where you want more competency. 

Love from your real-talking, yet caring yogi career guide. 

If you struggle with imposter syndrome, send me a message on the “Contact” page to set up a free consultation call. Together, we’ll discover your unique strengths and where you can grow, because successful leaders are well-rounded, and you are meant to be a leader.