How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome So You Can Live Your Dream Life

Why is it that SO many amazing people with a genuine desire to help people stay stuck for YEARS because they’re afraid that they aren’t “Good enough”? 

I’d argue that the reason for this problem is that they feel like imposters.

Can you relate? I know I can. 

I spent years of my life fearing rejection and discounting my greatness. 

I couldn’t understand why people would pay for something that came so easily to me.

Luckily, my friend and business partner Matt Smith was wise enough to help me escape my mind-made prison. 

“Craig,” he said, “People discount what they are good at it. We say, “Oh, it’s no big deal” when we do something in our zone of genius. But to other people, they see us doing amazing things and can’t understand how we did it.”

And he’s right… 

You, yes YOU have greatness inside of you. You have gifts, experience, and wisdom that you should must share with the world. 

If you’ve been struggling with imposter syndrome and allowing fear to hold you back, then you’ll want to listen up. 

Because I’m about to show you exactly how I overcame my imposter syndrome… And, more importantly, how you can too.

Reframe Your Definition of “Expert”

The first, and possibly most sinister reason that good people discount their greatness and fail to go after their dreams is because they have a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be an expert.

They believe the hype than an expert is someone who has it all figured out. Someone who is in the top .001% of the world at what they do and who is completely unmatched in their skills and abilities.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Expertise is relative and you only need to be 1% better at your chosen field than the people you are trying to serve.

For example, I have dozens of friends and mentees who are exceptional at the things that they do.

I work with countless coaches in the fitness and nutrition space (like my Australian friend) who assume that, since they know how to exercise, eat well, and avoid going overboard on the weekends (and at Thanksgiving dinner) that everyone else has a fundamental understanding of these concepts as well.

But the truth is that 99% of people don’t have know squat about exercise, and I’ll be you dollars to donuts that they don’t have a clue about how to eat for energy either.

Similarly, I know several “newbie” financial advisors who falsely assume that because saving and investing is ‘easy’ for them that everyone must know exactly how to max out their tax deductions, invest for long term wealth, and properly allocate their assets for financial freedom.

But if you look at the statistics, most people are completely broke (and overweight). They have no idea how to create a successful budget, where to invest their money, or how to automate their finances so that they don’t have to check their bank balance every time they go grocery shopping (and when they do go grocery shopping, they don’t know how to do that right either!).

Most of us fail to realize that the things that come easily to us are seemingly impossible for other people.

But I can assure you, no matter where you are today in your life or business you are an expert at something, and I’d be willing to bet that you’re an expert at something other people desperately need.

The best part is that this law applies to every possible industry, skill set, and problem on the market.

Maybe you aren’t an expert at building an amazing physique or financial planning. But you have a fantastic marriage, know how to make an extra $1,000 with a side hustle, or are an expert at “getting stuff done”.

Maybe you managed to successfully homeschool your children, travel the world on a shoestring budget, or prepare healthy and delicious meals for only $100 a week.

Whatever your unique skill or ability is, you must realize that most other people do NOT have that same skill or ability.

You ARE an expert whether you believe it or not.

Yes, there will always be people out there who are better than you, smarter than you, or more accomplished than you.

And that’s ok.

Those aren’t the people you’re trying to serve.

Listen, I’m not Tony Robbins. I never will be Tony Robbins. I don’t want to be Tony Robbins. And while the world is blessed to have Tony Robbins, it doesn’t serve me to compare myself against Tony Robbins and say, “Well, I’m not as good as him, so why should I bother at all?”

If I allowed such a foolish comparison to make me feel like an imposter and discount my own greatness, I wouldn’t have been able to help thousands of people earn more, work less, and live their perfect lives.

Be Grateful Not Humble

We all have the potential to achieve greatness and excel at what we do.

But when you discount the things at which you’re amazing by being “humble”, you do a disservice to yourself and the world.

I’m not saying that you should become arrogant or narcissistic or believe that you are somehow “superior” to others.

Rather that you shouldn’t discount your blessings and abilities by covering them up with false humility.

Instead of being humble about your talents, be grateful.

I believe that I am one of the best in the world at helping people get more out of themselves and achieve work life mastery.

And I am NOT humble about this fact.

I don’t sit back and pretend that I’m “good” or even “great” at what I do.

If you’ve ever attended one of my masterminds, seminars, or purchased 1-on-1 coaching from me, then you know that firmly believe I am amazing at what I do.

Not because I am so great. But because I have put in the blood, sweat, and tears for over two decades to develop the skills I need to serve others. I have also overcome my own hardships and helped hundreds of thousands of people transform their lives giving me a unique view of how to create shortcuts to success.

I am incredibly proud of the results that I’m able to help people achieve… But I’m also grateful for everything and everyone who worked together to help make me this way and for the opportunity to share my blessings with the world.

I know that I wouldn’t be who I am today without the family, mentors, and influences who helped me along the way.

And everyday, I am overwhelmed by a profound sense of responsibility to share the knowledge and wisdom I’ve earned through years of trial and error with the people who need it most.

But what about you?

What things have you been “humble” about when you should have been grateful?

• Maybe you’re amazing at helping businesses drive leads through Facebook advertising.
  
  
• Maybe you’ve figured out how a 45-year-old woman can lose weight despite her hormonal fluctuations without starving herself all day long
  
  
• Maybe you have a phenomenal marriage and know exactly how to help couples navigate the challenges of a long-term relationship.
  
  
• Maybe you’ve spent thousands of hours building a foolproof plan for the average American to double their wealth in three years or less

Whatever skill you have, whatever abilities you’ve developed, whatever expertise you have bled to acquire… OWN it.

Don’t be humble about the results that you can get for people.

But always, always, always be grateful for the journey and the people who helped you get there and the opportunity you have to pay it forward.

Realize that Playing Small is Selfish

One of the biggest epiphanies that I ever had was when I realized that playing small is the ultimate form of selfishness.

If you have the knowledge and expertise to help someone transform their life and achieve a result that they’ve been (unsuccessfully) pursuing for years and you don’t step up to the plate to help them…

… You are actively stealing from the people that you claim you want to help.

Playing small is the ultimate form of selfishness because it’s all about you.

You’ll say things like:

• I am not good enough
  
  
• I am not smart enough
  
  
• I am not an expert.

Meanwhile, you ignore all of the people who are literally begging for the solution that you have to offer.

If you’ve been trained in CPR and someone was dying and needed you to resuscitate them, would you sit back and say, “Oh I don’t think I’m good enough, I don’t know CPR that well, maybe we should just wait for an expert”?

Of course not!

You would do everything in your power to save their life and make sure that they survived.

Yet in your day-to-day life, you ignore all of the people who are dying a proverbial death at the hands of the very problem that you can help them solve.

• They are dying a financial death and drowning in debt because they don’t know how to generate extra income or manage their finances.
  
  
• They are dying an emotional death because they don’t have the “soft skills” required to make their relationship work or build a circle of close friends.
  
  
• They are dying a physical death because they don’t know how to eat properly, exercise consistently, or take care of their bodies.
  
  
• They are dying a spiritual death because they feel lost, unable to find their purpose, and disconnected from God, the Universe, and others.

The world is filled with hurting people who are desperately searching for solutions to the problems in their life.

And if you have one of those solutions and fail to share it because you don’t think that you are good enough, then guess what?

You are depriving them of the very thing they need most.

So STOP being selfish.

Share your gifts with the world. Serve the people who need your help. Don’t be shy about your ability to get results.

When you can shift your focus from yourself to the people that you’re trying to serve, you’ll quickly realize that you are NOT an imposter and that you DO have what it takes to help other people achieve their dreams.

Own Your Greatness and Go All In

Before we end this article, I want you to do something for me.

Pull out a sheet of paper and write down ALL of the things that you’re amazing at that the world needs.

Write down all of the accomplishments, successes, and achievements that make YOU an expert and write down ALL of the people you are hurting by failing to take action on them.

Once you have your lists written out, I want you to commit TODAY that you are going to do whatever it takes to overcome your imposter syndrome and serve the people who need it.

Go all in on your greatness.

Refuse to allow that little voice in the back of your head to hold you back from helping the people who need it most.

Eradicate the b.s. stories and limiting beliefs that have been holding you back for so long.

Become an Operator. Kill the imposter. Live your perfect life.

The world needs you.

I’ll leave you with one of the few motivational quotes that made a long-lasting impact on me. It’s from author Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? … Our playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”  

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