E6: You Are Not a Fake - A R.E.A.L. Way to Debunk the Imposter

When Does It Get Good?

“I don't believe in impostor syndrome,” says Zovig Garboushian, as she challenges the terminology itself and explores the unsettling experience faced by many achievers and leaders. Zovig discusses how environments filled with comparisons and the constant need to prove one's worth can amplify feelings of imposter syndrome. She touches upon the added pressure faced by those who stand out due to their unique demographic characteristics, and how certain high-stakes company cultures, similar to those of companies like Google and Amazon, can foster a cycle of self-doubt.

Zovig introduces the REAL framework: Recognize, Examine, Acknowledge, Leverage. This approach is designed to help individuals to deescalate the impostor experience by encouraging them to recognize and label their feelings, examine the validity of these self-doubts, acknowledge their achievements, and leverage this understanding to shift towards a more confident personal narrative.

Zovig shares her own struggle with feeling like an imposter at a conference and reflects on how minimizing her accomplishments and giving in to the need to prove her worth only fueled her self-doubt. She suggests that applying the REAL framework could have transformed her experience, advocating for this method as a tool for mental fitness and a step towards confidence and authentic self-appreciation.

Quotes

• "It's a natural thing to feel self-doubt. It is our job to find ways to help ourselves get back to reality and back to facts when we are feeling it." (00:15 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "Our world is unfortunately designed more for comparison and proving than it is to welcome the individuality and uniqueness of people." (06:34 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "All of this faking is why we feel like imposters, because we're behaving in ways that aren't natural to us. All of the proving and the perfectionism and the coping, that's not natural behavior." (09:32 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "If we don't gain control of our thinking, we lose control of ourselves. Our thoughts are pretty much the only thing we have true control over." (16:32 | Zovig Garboushian)

Links

Connect with Zovig Garboushian:

Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com

5 Types of Imposters, Dr. Valerie Young Ed.D

https://impostorsyndrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/The5TypesOfImpostors-1.png

Secrets of Successful Women (And Men), Dr. Valerie Young, Ed.D

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Thoughts-Successful-Women-Impostor/dp/0307452719

I Don’t Believe in Imposter Syndrome, Zovig Garboushian, STRIVE MAGAZINE

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xvknVaZayKwcj55MhApGuVls3oCKtLK3/view?usp=sharing

Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome, Ruchika Tulshyan

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xtazF_T96V89Z-3nJf61TlP25vzuNVxY/view?usp=sharing

The Imposter Syndrome Files - We Are In Charge with Zovig Garboushian

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-are-in-charge/id1503572581?i=1000644348016

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