The Anxious Achiever

6 Thought Traps

In early 2021 I was asked to join a prestigious, invite-only group for business authors. This was the kind of company that triggered instant impostor syndrome. Bestselling writers, household names, mega TED speakers, even a four-star general … you get the idea. What the heck was I doing here with these impressive people? When I wrote an email to introduce myself to the group, I confessed that even saying hello created intense anxiety. To my delight, one of the group’s most prestigious members replied, “Feeling impostor syndrome is a qualification to be in this group.” And lots of other members jumped into the email chain and said they felt the same way. This was a big “Aha!” moment for me: so many of us feel like we don’t ...