Episode #83 Imposter Series Part 6: Why are you here?

Have you ever been in the thick of a challenge as you try to reach your goal, and asked yourself: why am I here? Why am I putting myself through this? If yes, this episode on ‘why are you here’ is for you.

It’s a common question amongst my clients as they battle with their desire to succeed, their fear of failure and the inevitable discomfort of rising to their potential. Sometimes the frustration goes further and before you know it, they are questioning everything:

  • Why did I choose this career/role/industry?
  • I didn’t actually choose this, I just did it because it was the obvious next step/ it was what everyone else was doing/ my parents expected

The problem with this type of thinking is that it makes the challenge you’re facing so much harder to overcome. It undermines your confidence in your own decisions at the exact time when you need to go all in on the task and have your own back.

In this episode I explain why being able to answer the question “why am I here?” with, “I chose this” is a much better strategy for getting through tough times. Understanding what motivated the decisions that brought you here will help you move away from the debilitating thought “I shouldn’t be here” towards the infinitely more empowering and effective “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be”.

In this episode:

  1. Why it’s important to be able to answer the question: “Why am I here?”
  2. What is your why and what does it do?
  3. Examples of “why” that are impacting your decisions right now
  4. How to start exploring your why

Mentioned in this episode:

  • Podcast episode #43: Living Your Why
  • Book: Be The First: People of Colour, Imposter Syndrome and the Struggle to Succeed in a White World, which is published on 26th February 2021, and is available to preorder here

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The Secret Signs of Imposter Syndrome Every Black Lawyer Should Know

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This guide is built specifically for Black lawyers, where these behaviours aren’t just about self-doubt. They’re also survival strategies you’ve developed in spaces where you’ve had to be twice as good to get half as far.