Even the most confident photographers still experience it from time to time. Impostor syndrome is when you feel like your abilities and talents aren’t deserving of the high praise you receive from others. It feels like you’re fooling everyone into thinking you’re THAT good when the reality is, you really are THAT good!
Josie here, I want to let you in on a little secret. If you’ve felt this way before, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I wish I could say I don’t feel this way anymore after what feels like decades in the industry, but I still do sometimes.
Let’s be real, we all have insecurities, right? We can tell ourselves we don’t, but we both know that’s not the case. We all get that unsolicited visit from our insecurities from time to time.
If you’re ready to confront this limiting belief, then you’re in the right place! Today I’m sharing all the things I do to get myself through it!
4 Tips for Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
Push through it and try not to over think.
Plan all your sessions the best you can. Show up prepared, with a positive of a mindset and plan to enjoy it. They hired YOU because they wanted YOU to shoot it. Remember, being chosen to photograph someone’s intimate moments is an honor. The photographer competition out there is fierce, and they had many other options to choose from, but they chose YOU!
If after the session you’re still feeling low, RESET. Don’t go home and edit, just yet. Get some rest instead and reframe where your focus needs to be. Go do something you enjoy. It really can wait.
Prioritizing yourself and your happiness is incredibly important. We produce some of our best work when we’re feeling our best and confident. So, focus on making that your priority.
The next opportunity you have to shoot, try again! And hey… you never know if the next shoot could be the one that gets you that reshare by your fave account on IG! Don’t let yourself miss out because of a false belief.
Don’t forget that you DO rock, and people chose YOU because they like YOUR WORK!!
I know I said that in the first tip, but I am saying it again. It goes with pushing through. Sometimes we need the positive reinforcement from an outside source but, it’s just as important to remind yourself of this, every single day. Use positive self-talk often, daily if you need to. Know your worth and that you are valued.
Do the inner work needed to overcome the insecurities you’re having.
Sometimes I simply tell myself; “Fake it till you make it.” You can’t let your insecurities hold you back. It’s up to you to tell them to pipe down and keep it moving.
Most of the time I feel proud of the photos I create, but don’t think for one second that I got through the last decade without feeding into self-doubt from time to time.
You have got to stop being so hard on yourself and spend time self-reflecting. Find your truth, remind yourself where you started and what got you to where you are today. Read that inspiring book or listen to that podcast and do it often. Don’t just do it one day and forget, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to be consistent and willing to self-examine often.
Invest in education because that’s where you will learn how to squash self-limiting beliefs.
Yeah yea, you say…it’s true though! Education and knowledge are key to building your skills and confidence. You have to spend money, to make money.
I have spent plenty on learning to get to where I am today and would GIVE ANYTHING to have one single source to learn everything from.
There’s so much you can learn, but we didn’t get where we are today for free. Sure, some things can be self-taught, but there’s a lot of value in what other’s who’ve been there, done that can teach you. And everyone’s experience is different, so you may learn technical skills in one place, but expand your creative skills somewhere else.
If you knew how much Vania and I have spent on education for our TPS collaboration, you’d probably drop dead! We’ve learned so much about mentoring and educating other photographers and It’s been SO worth it. We are STILL constantly working toward educating ourselves, even further.
So, how does investing in your education help with imposter syndrome? Because it’s a jumping off point for boosting your self-confidence and self-worth. Education is a way of proving our worth to our clients, too. We can’t be stingy; we have to keep up with the now and stay relevant.
Final Thoughts
I’ll be honest, I chose this blog topic this week, because it’s something I’m going through RIGHT NOW! It happens to me from time to time. Sometimes I wonder “Why did these people choose me? I suck!” Yea…I say that to myself. And so, I’m here, sorting through those tough feelings as I write.
So why am I sharing all this with you? Once again, I want to remind you that you’re not alone in feeling this way! We want to create a community that lifts each other up and supports each other through our successes and challenges. Most importantly, want to see YOU succeed!
Hopefully you’ve found value in these tips and, if you’re ready to conquer your self-doubt drop us a comment below! We offer one-on-one mentorships and would love to chat with you!
