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Has this ever happened to you? You’re sitting in an important meeting with lots have smart people in your field and you feel like you don’t belong? That you either must of been a mistake on the invite list or that everyone sees you as an apprentice and not a full contributor? Yeah? You do? Me too. Lots of people do. Valerie Young writes about this feeling and others as part of the Imposter Syndrome.
When discussing this particular issue with a colleague, she pointed out that while there are lots of accomplished and smart people at the table—you have been picked to be at that table too—even if you feel out of your league. Maybe everyone has decades more experience than you or has published twice as much as you have. That doesn’t mean they don’t see something valuable in what you bring. In fact, by being at the same table, they are opening themselves up to what you have to say. Regardless of whether or not your position is inferior, or you’re much less senior than the others, remember that you’re at the table too. You’re at their table. Because they invited you. They saw promise in you. Don’t let them down by talking yourself out of contributing to the conversation. You do belong and you tricked no one.