How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome and Start Blogging Confidently

“Why would someone read what I wrote?”

“I’m not good enough.”

“They’re going to think I’m a fraud.”

 

Does any of this sound familiar?

The truth is that most of us have had thoughts of uncertainty and self-doubt at some point in our lives. But if you feel insecure blogging despite any achievements, your knowledge on the subject, hard work, or planning, then you’re more than likely experiencing Impostor Syndrome.

People who experience this condition frequently feel like fraudsters, despite the fact that they truly are qualified to speak on the topic. Rather than confidently helping people, they are more concerned that they have deceived them into believing they are good enough. This leaves the person in a constant terror of being “exposed.”

When I first started blogging I had impostor syndrome so bad. 

I thought my content wasn’t good enough.

I thought my featured images weren’t good enough. 

I even thought that my THEMES weren’t good enough!

I would have the guts to create an about me page, but then a week later I’d take it down because I didn’t think I was good enough to have an about me page. 

IT WAS RIDICULOUS! 

It wasn’t until I decided that if I wanted to create a successful blog, I was going to have to ignore those self-defeating thoughts and do it anyways. 

Researchers estimate that up to 70% of people have experienced impostor syndrome at some point in their lives. But that doesn’t mean the feeling is any less harmful to a person’s self-esteem or professional advancement. Especially in an area like blogging, where an air of mastery and competence is the key to communicating your point effectively and building up an audience of followers.

If you’re experiencing impostor syndrome or anything similar when it comes to your writing, remember that there are healthy and constructive methods to deal with these thoughts so that you can move forward. Here are six tips to overcome impostor syndrome so that you can start blogging confidently. 

7 Ways to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

1. Recognize that you are not alone

When you’re dealing with impostor syndrome, one of the most encouraging things to remember is how many incredibly successful bloggers, both male and female, young or old, have overcome these feelings of doubt, and established fantastic careers.

In fact, the more success a person experiences, regardless of which blogging stage they are at, the more likely it is they will feel the effects of impostor syndrome. It will be a comfort knowing that you are in great company, and it’s not just you feeling this way.

Anything worth achieving comes with obstacles, struggles, self-doubt, you name it. Just because you did’t see someone struggling, doesn’t mean that they didn’t. 

2. Accept that perfection is unattainable

While perfectionism can be beneficial in some situations, it can also be a huge productivity stumbling block. Moreover, it turns out that it can also be a key barrier to overcoming impostor syndrome.

Impostor syndrome affects many top performers, people who hold themselves to extremely high standards and are dedicated to doing their highest quality work and being the greatest at what they do. 

The problem is, perfectionism exacerbates your sense of inadequacy. When you feel like a fake, it’s typically because you’re comparing yourself to an unattainable or unrealistic “ideal” outcome. I used to think that my blog posts had to look like the work of an accomplished writer that has spend many years practicing their craft. 

This is why you shouldn’t compare yourself to others. Do you, and make that work. 

If you’re struggling to write articles for your blog, take a look at any blog post from the very successful blogger and the queen of printables, Sarah Titus. Sarah’s writing style is not that of a journalist from the Huffington Post, rather a style that is more down-to-earth. I find that her free-flowing blog posts are a more pleasant read since it is written more conversationally. 

So stop thinking that your writing has to be perfect. The most important part is that your blog posts are helping people in some way. If you are creating content that helps people, that’s good enough for now. 

Not only is it impossible to execute everything flawlessly, but pushing yourself to that level might be detrimental. When first starting out, all you have to ask yourself is, “Is it good enough for now?”

You can always go back later and improve your article, your email opt-in, your email sequence, etc. 

3. Make a distinction between humility and fear

There’s a fine line between humility about your hard work and achievements and being terrified by them. Simply being skilled at something might lead to a reduction in its value mentally.

Sometimes spending so much time fine-tuning your talent to the point that it looks and seems natural results in a sense of entitlement to high quality. And anything less than the best can feel like a failure. However, feeling worthy without feeling entitled is achievable, and conquering impostor syndrome is all about striking a good balance between the two.

4. Keep track of your accomplishments and honestly evaluate them

One of the most difficult things to understand when you feel like an impostor is how much of a part you have in your own accomplishments. You may attribute your success to chance or the efforts of others, while in reality, your own efforts, knowledge, and preparedness played the lion’s share in the equation.

So here’s a tip: Keep note of your victories in a private document to show yourself that you’re doing just fine. 

There are a variety of metrics you may use to monitor your improvements, and the ones you choose will be unique to you. If you’re a blogger, you may keep track of your monthly average page views and compare them to your prior posts to see if they’re increasing. Keep a separate tab open to paste nice things others have said to you via Twitter, blog comments, and other social media channels.

5. Discuss it with a trusted mentor or other. bloggers

No one should have to suffer alone. You will be more able to deal with your impostor syndrome if you share your views and experiences with someone else. I suggest that you share these thoughts with a mentor or fellow bloggers whose opinion you both value and trust. 

You can do this by participating in discussions in forums, joining Facebook groups, blogging MeetUp groups, etc. 

Your mentor will be glad to advise you and talk openly about your impostor syndrome issues while providing you with a more objective perspective — especially if they work outside your business or team altogether. For example, when you tell them about your situation, you could ask if they’ve ever had a similar experience or if they know someone who has.

The greatest mentors are open about the challenges they’ve had and the mistakes they’ve made in their careers, and you could discover that they have some helpful anecdotes or suggestions for dealing with your current situation.

6. Accept and incorporate Impostor Syndrome

It’s quite tricky to totally overcome impostor syndrome, especially if you’ve had it for a long time. However, the fact that extremely successful people feel this way despite their achievements shows that it can be a lifelong affliction.

That’s why, rather than banishing your impostor syndrome entirely, the ideal approach is to understand it in order to prevent it from hindering your advancement.

7.You DON’T have to know everything