Innovative people seem fearless when it comes to moving outside their comfort zones to try new things. But I can assure you it is quite common for those who appear confident to actually fear that they are not worthy of their position or achievements. It’s called the impostor syndrome, and Harvard Business Review has an interesting article on it this week that I thought you might enjoy.
In his piece, Everyone Suffers from Imposter Syndrome — Here’s How to Handle It, dfg Andy Molinsky writes,
What can you do to overcome these feelings of inadequacy that so many of us experience? A first tip I’ve found quite helpful: Recognize the benefits of being a novice. You might not realize it, but there are great benefits to being new in your field. When you are not steeped in the conventional wisdom of a given profession, you can ask questions that haven’t been asked before or approach problems in ways others haven’t thought of.
It’s no surprise, for example, that some of the best research ideas I get as a professor come from undergraduate students with little previous experience, people who can think with a fresh outsider’s perspective.
Read the rest of the tips here, and use your own doubts to your advantage!