Procrastination: it’s the result of what lures business owners, especially healers, down the rabbit hole, feeling shame and guilt about what they’re not doing. . But where does it come from? Most of us think it has to do with laziness, but that’s far from the truth. Let’s look at everything you need to know about one of the main causes of procrastination: impostor syndrome.
What Is Procrastination?
First of all, what is procrastination? Procrastination is when one delays or postpones something they have to do. It’s as simple as that. Some people would consider it to be unheard of to postpone something they needed to get done. However, most people tend to encounter feelings of hesitation or resistance surrounding starting or finishing a task.
If you’ve ever wondered how to stop procrastination at any moment of your life, you’re in the right place. Forget everything people have told you about procrastination. Procrastination comes from underlying emotional discomfort. This discomfort stems from subconscious feelings of not being good enough. This feeling is also called impostor syndrome.
Impostor Syndrome
Have you ever felt like you’re a fraud? Like you’ve worked so hard to get where you are, but still feel that you’re being dishonest about your abilities? This is impostor syndrome. Merriam-Webster defines impostor syndrome as “Persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one’s ongoing success.” In simpler words, it’s the irrational belief that you’re incompetent.
Impostor syndrome affects our personal and professional lives in many ways by disrupting our thoughts and productivity. This raises feelings of being unfulfilled and under-qualified. It can affect anyone, regardless of age or occupation. Even the greatest of people can experience the challenge of impostor syndrome.
Maya Angelou once said, “I have written 11 books, but each timeI think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”. Sometimes it can even sabotage your success due to your own self-doubt. We, as healers who have our own businesses, are not exempt from experiencing this impostor phenomenon.
5 Types of Impostor Syndrome
According to Dr. Valerie Young, there are five types of impostor syndrome.
- The Perfectionist: The complete overachiever who gives 110% every time, which sounds excellent unless you don’t meet those standards. If this happens, then they feel like a fraud.
- The Natural Genius: This person is similar to a perfectionist. Things usually come naturally to them. They judge themselves based on their speed and not their efforts. However, they don’t allow themselves grace for a learning curve.
- The Expert: The expert never has enough. They need to know more, experience more, and get more awards, certifications, and recognitions. This need comes from a need to please others.They can feel like there’s always someone better than them. They usually will feel under-qualified for the jobs and won’t apply.
- The Soloist: The “I can do it better by myself”. They never ask for help and do projects alone instead of having a prepared team. This attitude is usually due to them thinking asking for help is a sign of weakness.
- The Superwoman/man: The person who always takes on more responsibility than they can. They deal a lot with over-exhaustion, burnout, and lack of productivity. They often neglect other aspects of their lives.
You Are Worthy!
We are healers but also people. And, as humans, we are bound to get captured by the impostor phenomenon that can affect our productivity. Have you been feeling as though you’re not accomplishing any of your goals or getting your most important tasks done? You may feel as though you’re at a stand still and can’t seem to gain momentum in your business or life. Maybe you’re feeling as though you’re unable to be successful or having thoughts along the lines of “I’m not a healer. I’ve been fooling myself and other people.”
We’re here to tell you that you’re not fooling yourself or other people. You’re experiencing impostor syndrome, and it’s because helping people as a healer is so important to you! After all, this is your calling. You know it in your soul, and we know it too. Being a healer might come with a lot of trauma from past lives, but it has its perks.
Your magical tools can help you get ahead of your thoughts. You may not be seeing the small wins you’re accomplishing, but we fully believe that not only can you become successful, you can become an amazing healer and bring your gifts into the world. And we want to help you accomplish that.
Steps to Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
Some of the steps you will want to take to get rid of impostor syndrome are:
- Share how you feel with the people around you who you trust. Sometimes talking about how you feel, out loud will allow subconscious thoughts to surface and release without further effort.
- Take baby steps! You are not a superhuman and you are not obliged to fulfill every role that comes to mind. Make your goals achievable by breaking them into smaller pieces. The more goals you check off as reached or completed, the more fulfilled you’ll feel. If you need help reaching those goals, delegate certain tasks to others. That will help.
- Question the harmful thoughts. Where are these thoughts coming from? Is it you or the impostor energy leading you astray?
- Don’t compare yourself. Your gifts are unique, and so are you. There is only one of you in this world and you’re the only one on your journey. Own your path!
- Refuse to let the fear hold you back. If you’re scared of doing something, do it anyway. Even if you’re taking baby steps in order to reach the main goal. Succumbing to fear will not allow you to grow in life. And up-leveling your abilities and success never comes without a little bit of fear. If it doesn’t feel a little bit uncomfortable, it may not be worth the effort.
Do you want to feel more productive and fulfilled? Well, we have the ultimate gift for you! Our free guide, The Switch: Peak Productivity on Demand, will help you become more balanced, and productive so you can boost your confidence and success!