May 14, 2025 • 30 mins
We’ve all had those moments where we wonder, "Do I really belong here? Am I doing a good enough job?" Imposter syndrome is real, and it’s holding way too many high achievers back from getting promoted, stepping into leadership, and getting paid what they’re worth.
Today, I’m joined by Rachel Lounds, an executive and career coach who has helped countless professionals silence their self-doubt, build unshakable confidence, and finally break through to the next level in their careers.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re one mistake away from being "found out" or that your success is just luck or timing, this episode is for you. Rachel is here to call BS on imposter syndrome and give you practical, no-fluff strategies to step into your power at work.
Today, I’m joined by Rachel Lounds, an executive and career coach who has helped countless professionals silence their self-doubt, build unshakable confidence, and finally break through to the next level in their careers.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re one mistake away from being "found out" or that your success is just luck or timing, this episode is for you. Rachel is here to call BS on imposter syndrome and give you practical, no-fluff strategies to step into your power at work.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
We've all had those moments where we wonder, do I
really belong here?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Am I doing a good enough job?
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Impostor syndrome is real, and it's holding way too many
high achievers back from getting promoted, stepping into leadership, and
getting paid what they're worth. Today, I'm joined by Rachel Lownce,
an executive and career coach who has helped countless professionals
silence their self doubt, build unshakable confidence, and finally break
(00:28):
through to the next level in their careers. If you've
ever felt like your one mistake from being found out,
or that your success is just luck or timing, this
episode is for you. Rachel is here to call bs
on impostor syndrome and give you practical, no fleft strategies
to help step.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Into your power at work.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I'm your host, Nicole Ramirez, and this is Talk Digital
to Me, where we uncover the latest in digital marketing tech,
AI innovation, and strategies for personal and professionals will growth.
(01:10):
All right, everyone, welcome back to Talk Digital to Me today.
I've got an amazing guest with me, Rachel lownd's executive
and career coach. Rachel is the go to expert for
helping professionals finally break free from impostor syndrome, step into
leadership roles, and get noticed and promoted and paid what
they're worth. She's worked with countless high achievers who feel
(01:32):
stuck working hard but not seeing the career growth they deserve.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And let's be real, we've all had.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Those moments where we wonder, do I really belong here?
Am I doing a good enough job?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Well?
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Today, Rachel's here to call bs on that self doubt
and give us practical, no fluff strategies to overcome impostor
syndrome and build unshakable confidence in the workplace. Rachel, thank
you so much for being on the show.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Well, I am absolutely delighted to be Are you here
with you Nicole today? Thank you for having me?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Absolutely, all right, I'm going to dive in with the basics.
Impostor syndrome is one of those terms that gets thrown
around a lot. But what does that actually look like
in real life? And how do you see it show
up in the workplace?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Okay, well, I think it's really important to start with
defining what imposter syndrome actually is because there are a
lot of misconceptions out there about it. So, imposter syndrome
is when an individual secretly believes that they are not
as competent, talented, knowledgeable, or experienced as other people seem
to think that they are. And they think this despite
sometimes overwhelming compelling evidence to suggest otherwise. So there's this
(02:40):
disconnect between how they see themselves and how other people
see them, often putting their success down to luck or
timing or right time or right place, or you know, thinking, well,
you know, if I can do it, anyone can do
it kind of thing. So the success that other people
see them as having leaves them feeling like they're a
fake or frault or a phony because there's this gap
(03:01):
between how they see themselves and how other people see them.
Now it's often associated with high achieving tight A personalities,
and the issue is that these people it's not that
these people aren't capable. They're more than capable. It's just
that they don't see themselves this way. And it's really
important to define that imposter syndrome isn't something that we
feel twenty four to seven. There are specific triggers that
(03:22):
set our feelings of not being an impostor off.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
So to kind of say what it looks like in
real life.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I mean shows up in the workplace in lots of
different ways, but most of the time, like for example,
you might get a job and then suddenly think, oh,
hl's made a mistake, Like they've made a mistake.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
They're going to find out that.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
I don't actually know what I'm doing, And so that
kind of then leads lends itself into your in your role,
doing the work consistently doubting yourself, and then you know
you're going into this spiral of negative thinking.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, I mean, I feel like so many of us
know this feeling so well. I know I can speak
from firstand experience. I have to fight against the impostor syndrome,
and I am a type a high performer person, so
I feel like I fit the stereotype perfectly. So why
do you think it's so common amongst us high performers
(04:14):
and people at the top of their game struggling with
being in this place where we feel like I think
they might have made a mistake hiring us.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Yeah, I mean, the very nature of being a high
achiever is that you are always striving for better and
more so looking for that kind of elusive perfect right
so perfectionism and imposter syndrome very much partners in crime here.
Try and if you you know, as a type a personality,
you want to be the best, you want to deliver
the best, right, and so just by trying to reach
(04:44):
that elusive standard that you're never going to reach because
you know perfect isn't attainable, it's just not. This then
triggers this idea that you are not as good as
others say you are. So even though you're at the
top and you have a plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise. Right,
you're telling yourself that you have somehow fooled people into
(05:05):
believing you are good at what you do, and that
you are there in the position that you're in because
somehow you fooled them and they are going to find
out eventually that you are not.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
As good as they think you are.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
It is so true that I can't believe that we
have this voice in our heads that tell us this,
even with all the evidence stacked against it, we sit
there and say we must have fooled our fulled them
and maked it till we made it, even with everything
we've worked for.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yah, So true, isn't it?
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I mean I had imposter singoes throughout my career, and
you know, one of the key triggers for me was like,
if the c IFO ever came up to me in
my last full time job. I do remember this so
distinctly because he would come up to me and I
would immediately panic and go and say to him, at
what is it time? And he would be like, what
have you come to tell me that you know you
(05:56):
figured it out and that I need to go. And
he was so baffled by this conversation because obviously it's.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Very one sided. For me.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I'm like, he has figured it out. Oh my gosh,
this is it. The shoe has finally drops for him.
He's like, no, I've just come to ask your question.
So you know, it's like this the world that we
live in. Yeah, it's not helpful at all.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
And a lot of people can assume that impostors syndrome
is just about feeling insecure, and you know, you telling
that story can be like that too, and it holds
people back in these big ways. What are some real
career consequences if you don't address your impostors syndrome and
fighte against it?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Well, exactly right.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
If you you know holding back can really affect your career. Like,
for example, you might be holding back from taking leadership
roles like I did that. You know, that's kind of
what happened to me. I would not take leadership roles
because I was too afraid that I was going to
get found out for not knowing enough, and I couldn't
handle the shame of that, Like I just didn't want
to be exposed, right, And so by doing that, by
(06:57):
holding that flying under the radar, you know, kind of
just doing what you have to do so that people
don't find out that you don't really know what you're doing.
It's not only going to affect your career progression, but
it's going to affect you financially too, and it certainly
did for me. The other thing is, like, you know,
your ideas and your brilliance won't get shared, and some
people even leave their roles all together to avoid that.
(07:20):
Shame of being found out just becomes very very stressful.
So it can have real detrimental effects, especially when you're
constantly worried about someone outing you. You know, you can
experience high levels of stress. And if you're overworking and
perfecting things to make up for your so called lack
of knowledge and talent. This could also lead to burnout too.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
That makes perfect sense.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I mean, if you're struggling with this and you think, Okay,
I don't want to push myself out there in case
someone finds out, it's going to hold you back so
much from you know, promotions and taking risks. So when
you're working with people, what is the mindset shift that
you use or an exercise that you help people shut
this out?
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Well, obviously, you know it's hard to kind of answer
that in a one step way because it's a very
individual experience. You know, you really have to possess, like
personally what's going on for that person on an internal dialogue.
Because there's our belief systems, which fundamentally, imposter syndrome is
a belief system and it has a lot to do
(08:23):
with the way you were raised. Right, So we're all
raised by humans. But at the end of the day,
the messages you receive at home very much lead to
how you experience life later on. So if you've got
parents who are very supportive of everything that you do, then.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
You may not experience imposter syndrome.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Right, But the messages I received was that I was
average that I wasn't that good, that I might not
get very far in life.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
So I never expected to ever achieve that much.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Yeah, I am actually quite smart, and so I really
had to start owning that. So the messages you receive
at home can be play a very big part in
why you might experience in posts in gen so it's
important to investigate that. The other thing is like what
kind of culture are you working in, because there's definitely
different industries that lend itself to creating self doubt in people,
(09:13):
Like advertising is one of them, right, the creative industries,
because there's so much comparison, and you know, people are
kind of clawing each other down. It's very much about
what have you achieved, what have you put out there?
So you really have to understand your environment as well.
It's not just necessarily about what's been going on at
home or how you grew up. All of these things
kind of play into it. So you've got to understand, like,
(09:35):
from an environmental perspective, what are your belief systems from
the bottom up, and then what's kind of going on
around you from the top down.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I never thought about it from the fact that it
can stem all the way from how you were raised
and the things that you were told as a child.
It makes perfect sense that if you're in high stress
roles and things like that, that that absolutely is going to.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Play a case to things.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
And I think a lot of it, like a lot
of our career factors that were kind of out of
our control have a factor Like I was laid off
from my job and that, you know, made me very
fearful that if I made the smallest mistakes in my
next role, you know I was going to be let go.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, I mean that.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
You know that's that can be a massive trigger for
imposter syndrome as well, because now you've internalized the fact
that you know you've made it mean, I'm not good
at right, So then you internalize and that becomes your story.
But a lot of the time, like with imposter syndrome,
that you know it might actually be worth asking yourself,
like maybe I'm not very good at this particular thing
(10:35):
that I'm consistently fearful about and actually asking yourself, well,
do I need to learn something?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Because we can't be good at.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Everything, and sometimes it is a skills gap that we
need to fill, So you know, we have to be
a bit honest with ourselves as well, rather than assessing
ourselves as incapable.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Is it something that we need to work on?
Speaker 1 (10:54):
No, I love the look on that because I think
that sometimes, you know, my impostors syndrome actually pushes to
work a little harder if I feel like I'm uncomfortable,
So I think there can be benefits to it.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Well, yeah, I mean I don't really like the perspective
that in poster syndrome is a good thing. That's not
something that I would promote, because it really isn't. I mean,
it's more like assessing whether there is something that we
need we do need to work on, and it, you know,
like pushing us to work harder can only when we've
got that mindset of well, I'm a fake and affraud
in the phony, and the only way that I'm going
(11:27):
to avoid being found out for being a fake and
affraud and phony is by working harder. Actually just creates
like a vicious circle of I'm trying to chase my
tail away from being a fake, when in fact, it's
about understanding that you're not a fake.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
It's just that you may have a skills gap and
that you just need to fill.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That That makes perfect sense. So a lot of people
struggle for advocating for themselves, and it can be the
impaster syndrome holding them back, whether it's asking for a
raise or a promotion, or speaking up in meetings. What's
one thing that you can suggess people do starting today
to kind of change that and overcome that.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Yeah, a lot of people do struggle to speak up
and advocate for themselves. I mean a lot of the
clients I work with say to me that they feel
overlooked and undervalued. And when I ask them, you know
why they think that is, they tell me that they
think the results should speak for themselves. Now I hear
this so often. It's a very common mistake that you know,
many women make in their careers. But at the end
(12:26):
of the day, we have to remember that our results
don't speak for themselves like we have to speak for them.
So we've got to get over this fear of talking
about our achievements and accomplishments. And as women, we are
taught that bragging is bad. But here's what I'm going
to say to that. It's not bragging if it's based
on facts. So if you played a part, you accomplish
(12:48):
something amazing, then you have the absolute right to own
that and be proud of it.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Now.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
I know this is hard for people, So it's about
starting small to build the confidence around sharing. You know,
your accomplishments, what you've achieved, what you've done. So maybe
you can share it with a friend who you know,
you know who is going to celebrate you, or maybe
a colleague that you feel safe with that always has
your back, and let them know that you know you're
working on being more open and confident about your wins
(13:14):
and that you would like a forum in which to
share that with them. That helps build up your confidence slowly.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
I love that I actually have a creator group for
LinkedIn because so many of us were, you know, scared
to put ourselves out there.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
And be like, hey, we you know hit ten K.
We did this.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Because a lot of us were just like, yeah, I
think people are getting annoyed with us, and we're scared
of that other.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
So we have this kind of safe group that we
do that with.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Which is alarming, isn't it really that we have to
create safe groups to talk about our wins?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I know?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
And that's and of course it's all women.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
So I like, as soon as you said that I
think a lot of it. It was immediately and I even
have women in that group apologizing to each other going, hey,
I'm so sorry, but I just wanted to share this,
and we're like, stop apologizing.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Now, exactly right, drop the apologetic language all the just
I'm sorry, I just did this.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
No, you didn't just do this, you did this.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Yeah, that's really why we created this group, for a
safe space to go, hey, look at what I did.
I've worked really hard to do that, and we all
are here to cheer you on.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
And it's so interesting, like men don't have a problem
with this, do they.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
No, they're not in a secret creator group. Don't tell
each other not to apologize.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Yeah, I mean, men do experience in poster syndrome. There's
no kind of like it's absence by men. You know,
women more than men, it's actually fifty fifty. It's just
that they experienced it in a slightly different way, I think.
And they don't have a problem talking about their wins
because they've never been told that that's a bad thing,
whereas women have.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
So can you expand a little bit on how men
experience in pastor syndrome versus women, how it's different.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
There's no actual data to back anything like that up.
I just think, I mean, from personal experience. I just
think that that maybe the way it comes across for
them is that it can be seen as slight aggression
over holding back or staying down, you know what I mean.
So it might come across as defensiveness or know it
(15:13):
all type of experiences. So, you know, sometimes when we
come across some men who may appear to be a
bit aggressive or defensive, it might be that they're just
doubting themselves inside and then sitting in the meeting room
and along with all of us going oh, my gosh,
I don't know what I'm talking about, And then someone
asks you a question and you just go, oh, just
(15:35):
bluff out some stuff, and one thinks that guy doesn't
know what he's talking about, or they say, wow, I
didn't expect him to be so confident. But underneath, we
have no idea if that person's feeling confidence. So it
can come across differently. But I mean, obviously I can't
speak to that because there's no actual research that backs
any of that up.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
That's just my personal opinion and experience.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
No, that makes perfect sense, And you know, I can
think of a few times where that's happened, and I've
found out later a man in my life was like, actually,
I was just super insecure about that, and that's why
I came off that way. I was kind of overcompensating,
right exactly.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
So there's a difference, isn't it, Because I don't think
a female would do that.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Woman, Sorry, because obviously people identify differently. Yeah, so it does.
It's more about how you handle it than actually like
the experience of it itself, because we all experience it
in a similar way.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
That's so true.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And so if you could give a small shift for
someone to make them stand out without feeling like they're bragging,
what would your suggestion be to be able to share
those wins comfortably and not feel like you're bragging so
much or overcompensating.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Well, as I mentioned before, just maybe start small. So
share with a friend who is supportive, is going to
celebrate you, or a colleague that you feel comfortable with
and or you know, like even if you've got a
smaller group of people at work that you get together
and go, we're just going to talk about what we've
achieved this week. If you have a manager that you
(17:05):
do feel very comfortable with, you know, start sharing your
wins with them because actually you need to do that
in your one on ones with your manager because they
don't know what your results are, so you must share them.
And actually what that does is help build your profile
so that when promote the promotion round comes you are
the person that is top of mind. Because promotions don't
(17:26):
happen in the yearly one to one. They happen throughout
the year. You have to build your profile by saying, hey,
you know I've done this, or we did this, or
this happened. It's like, it's about building up that picture
and doing that in short spurts. It's a lot easier
for people than going so, yes, at the end of
the year, we did this project and I was responsible
(17:47):
for all of it, and no one feels comfortable saying that,
so you know that's yeah, doing it in short spurts.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
That's perfect too.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
And I always suggest to people to write down everything
that they're doing throughout the year and then share those
as well, because you forget by the end of the
year what all you've done too. I you know, you
come for your performance review and you're like, I don't
remember what I was working on in Q one at
all No.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
And you know, you can call it a brag book
or you can call it an accomplishment file. But like
you know, and you get that feedback from people like, oh, hey,
you did a great job, or from the client or
an email or something like, note it down, screenshot it,
keep it, put it in a file somewhere, then you've
got a memory of what's happened.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
As you say, it's a great idea.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So I'm going to talk a little bit about confidence
because I've seen you talk about it as a skill,
and you know a lot of people think that it's
just something you have or you don't. So what do
you think about this misconception of confidence that you either
have it or you don't, and how people can start
building it as a skill.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Well, that's exactly right.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
The biggest misconception about confidence is that people think you
either have it or you don't, or you know, you're
just born with it.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Like that's not true. It just simply doesn't work like that.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
You can't wait to be or feel confident to do
something right. You have to take action and do the
thing that you don't feel confident in To gain small
winds and build confidence up. So that's why it's a
skill because you have to do it. Like with anything
that you learn, you have to do the thing.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
So you go the thing the best.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
You've got to do the thing right the thing.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
So in my coaching programs, I take people through a
framework I developed called Brave Mind, which breaks down as belief, reflect, action, visualize,
and excellence.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Right.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
So to be confident, we have to believe in ourselves right,
and this this is a fundamental. You can't do anything
unless you believe you in your ability to do it.
So this comes down to knowing why we're downing ourselves
and identifying what our negative beliefs are and then shifting
them into more helpful ones. And then we also we've
(19:51):
got to reflect on our ability in how far we've
come right as well as reflecting on what we might
need to do to learn and grow. So that is
about looking out our pulishments, what we've already achieved, and
then identifying, Okay, well maybe I'm not that good at
this thing, so that's okay, I can I've now identified
that that's what I need to do to shift so
I can build confidence in myself. And then as I say,
(20:14):
we've got to take action, because nothing happens unless you act,
and you certainly can't get confident in something if you
don't actually do it. So one of the things that
I wasn't confident in at all is public speaking, and
like being on podcasts was like absolutely terrifying for me,
and you know, doing in person events, which I now do.
So the way I got over that, I knew I
(20:35):
had to change out if I was going to be
successful in a business and as a coach in my career,
I had to face that fear. You've got to be
willing to face your fears and take action. And so
what I did was I joined Toastmasters, and you know,
terrifying as that is, it's a really good framework for
helping people to you know, get over those initial fears
of public speaking because they don't push you too far.
(20:58):
The very first thing you do is introduce yourself for
a minute that is like the longest minute in the world.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
It's like it really I did toast Masters when I
was learning to do speaking, and it's scary, right like.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
The minute I equate the minute in toast Masters.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
You know, when you put something in the microwave to
warm up for a minute and it's the longest minute ever.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And then it's long as you don't realize how little
you are about to speak about yourself until you have
a minute to speak about yourself and you're like, I
have fifteen seconds of material and now we are winging it.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Yeah, and everyone wigs out in that first one. Everyone
wigs out. And so it's about what's good about toast masters,
I think is that you see that, you see that
everybody wigs out and go, oh, it's not just mean.
It gives you that bit of comfort, I suppose. So
that's how I started, and then I just built it
up from there and started putting myself out there and
started my own podcast and put myself onto podcasts. So
(21:51):
it's about taking that action to then start building up
the confidence as you go, because you literally cannot feel
confident in something unless you do it.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah, I completely agree.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
And public speaking is such a good one to bring
up there because it is a fear so many people have.
I mean, I've done a TED talk and people go, oh,
you must be so comfortable public speaking.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
No, it still terrifies me.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Yeah, I just do it now, I have to, you know,
like I've built up this skill of public speaking. I
didn't walk on a stage and was like, I'm a
natural at this, Like I am still backstage freaking out.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
And you know, if you listen to any of the
world class, well known public speakers in the world, they
all say the same, they say, yeah, of course I'm
nervous before I go on. I think also a bit
of nerves is like, it's because you care. You care
that you're going to deliver something good. You want the
people that you're speaking to to have a good experience
and get some value.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah. Your fear comes from, you know, wanting to do
well and hoping that you know you're getting your message
across and that you prepared enough and I mean exactly
what you said, It means you care.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
And also it's important to remember too that fear and
excitement actually lives in the same part of the brain, right,
So we have the same it's the same feelings. It's
just that we have to just turn it into I'm excited,
I'm excited, I'm excited over I'm terrified.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
I'm terrified. I'm terrified. It's repurposing thought process into something I.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Didn't know that, but that makes perfect sense for like
how you feel. But I like that It's like, okay,
well all this fear is excitement.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Just you know, shift it.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, just shift it, shift it into a nervous good energy.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
So when you're talking impostor syndrome and you build up
this confidence and everything, imposter syndrome doesn't just disappear right
and then.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Never come back.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
So if it creeps up at different points in your career,
how can you, you know, build this confidence up so
that you're not second guessing itself and so the imposter
syndrome doesn't come up as often.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Well, obviously working with me, then.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Everyone take note.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Everyone work with me. There's lots of resources.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
But I would suggest working with the coach or mentor
if imposter synder is really affecting your life and career,
because it's not a quick fixed.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Thing, right.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
You really have to unpack the belief system underneath those feelings,
as well as look at the other external factors that
I mentioned before that contribute, like the industry and culture
that you work in, so that you can become aware
of the triggers and get perspective on why you might
be feeling that way, and then have tools to help
you manage it in the moment, because it does consistently appear.
(24:24):
You know, there's a saying it's like same devil, different level, right.
So for me, that means that the same challenges that
you are coming up across in your career and life
at different levels just comes in different costumes. It has
a different perspective, right, And the more you understand and
become aware of that, the more you can quickly deal
with it because you've got Oh, I identify that, I
(24:46):
recognize you. You've just come in a different costume. Now
I have these tools, I can just change them to
manage the costume that you've appeared in at this particular
level of my career in life.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
That's such a great visual for people to see that,
like you've just come in a different costume.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
So, you know, you've worked with a lot of people
who've really transformed their careers, and you've helped so many
people overcome impastor syndrome. Do you have a favorite success
story of someone who overcame impastor syndrome and you saw
a huge shift in them.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
I mean, yes, me perfect example.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Then I am my best own example because I was
you know, someone who spent twenty years in an advertising career,
not really really. I mean I just didn't get past
that middle management level because I was too afraid, right,
I really held back in my career and never really
spoke up, and so my career was very stunted, not
(25:40):
just from like a promotional or a seniority level, but
also from a financial level. And I felt very dissatisfied,
which leads to a lot of depression burnout in the end,
because I just felt like I just couldn't achieve, and
that's going to affect your mental health. But you know,
now I've kind of gone from someone who was holding
back in their career, never speaking up, to becoming a
(26:03):
coach who is publicly speaking, hosting a podcast, delivering in
person workshops, becoming a top voice on LinkedIn. You know,
I'm a living, breathing example because I worked at it.
I went and said, I need to get over this
because I am good, I am spar I do have
something to say, and really just owning all of that
so that I am, you know, the best example. But
(26:25):
of course I've then translated that to work with my clients,
and so many of my clients have come to me
feeling exactly saying, stuck and unhappy in their careers, not
earning the money they want to earn, feeling overlooked, undervalue,
doubting their ability, so many things. To then go on
to completely change their careers or start following what's on
their hearts, get their dream jobs, pay rises, lead happier
(26:48):
lives with better relationships. So it's all possible when you
unlock the patterns that are holding you back. It's you know,
it's really truly wonderful to see.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
I love that. That's really inspirational.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
I like that it came from a personal place that
you know you did this, and it's incredible all the
things that you've built. I love your content. It's really
cool that you're helping others. You know, you overcame something
and you are sharing that with the world.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Now.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
So if you could give someone just one piece of advice,
I know I'm putting you on the spot, but it
was like, you know, to start tomorrow to work towards
building this confidence and overcoming impostor syndrome. Besides from hey
call me and you know, but if you could do
one small piece of advice for our listeners, what would
that be well.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
I think the easiest get for people is to know
that it is totally normal to feel this way.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
It's reported that up to seventy percent of people have
felt this way at one time or another in their
qreaze right, so they've felt imposter syndrome.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
So it's very common.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
So know that you're not alone and break the silence
about how you're feeling, because I can guarantee you when
you share it, you will find out how many other
people have felt this way too, So you know the
next time that you're sitting in a meeting with all
those senior people, just know that they are probably worrying
that they don't really know what they're talking about either,
and that someone else someone might find them out too.
So don't assume that everyone in the room is definitely
(28:11):
smarter than you. That we all have these feelings. I
mean not for everybody, of course, but there is a
high percentage of people that feel this way. So you
can take some comfort in knowing that it's normal. There
is nothing wrong with you. You are not broken. And
remember everyone loses when bright people play small.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
I love that that's perfect. That'll be really great advice.
And this has been such an insightful conversation. I feel
like you've debunked so many myths around impostor syndrome, and
a lot of our listeners are going to walk away
with really actionable ways to step into their confidence and
their own value. So for anyone who's listening and thinking, Okay,
I need to work with you, where's the best place
(28:50):
to find you? Connect or come to one of your events?
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Yes, so I do run regular free events, get promoted
and paid your worth in ninety days. I've actually one
on the seventh of March twenty twenty five, Australia's time.
I don't know when this is going out like, but
there are regular events, so you can find those by
following me on LinkedIn Rachel Lowndes. It's r A C
h E L l o U NDS or you can
(29:18):
so follow me on LinkedIn. I'm also on Instagram and
my website is www dot Rachel Loowndes dot com dot AU.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Perfect well, Rachel, thank you again for being on This
was awesome problem.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
I've loved every part of this conversation, so thanks for
having me.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
That wraps up another episode of Top Digital to Me,
where we explore the strategies, trends and innovations shaping the
future of marketing and career growth. Rachel drops some game
changing insights on impostor syndrome, confidence building, and why playing
small doesn't serve anyone, especially not you. If you've been
waiting for to own your success, this is it. If
(30:03):
you found this episode helpful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts,
share it with a friend or colleague, and don't forget
to subscribe on whatever you're listening to me now until
next time, step up, own your success and don't let
imposter syndrome call the shots.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
See you soon.
We've all had those moments where we wonder, do I
really belong here?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Am I doing a good enough job?
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Impostor syndrome is real, and it's holding way too many
high achievers back from getting promoted, stepping into leadership, and
getting paid what they're worth. Today, I'm joined by Rachel Lownce,
an executive and career coach who has helped countless professionals
silence their self doubt, build unshakable confidence, and finally break
(00:28):
through to the next level in their careers. If you've
ever felt like your one mistake from being found out,
or that your success is just luck or timing, this
episode is for you. Rachel is here to call bs
on impostor syndrome and give you practical, no fleft strategies
to help step.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Into your power at work.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I'm your host, Nicole Ramirez, and this is Talk Digital
to Me, where we uncover the latest in digital marketing tech,
AI innovation, and strategies for personal and professionals will growth.
(01:10):
All right, everyone, welcome back to Talk Digital to Me today.
I've got an amazing guest with me, Rachel lownd's executive
and career coach. Rachel is the go to expert for
helping professionals finally break free from impostor syndrome, step into
leadership roles, and get noticed and promoted and paid what
they're worth. She's worked with countless high achievers who feel
(01:32):
stuck working hard but not seeing the career growth they deserve.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And let's be real, we've all had.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Those moments where we wonder, do I really belong here?
Am I doing a good enough job?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Well?
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Today, Rachel's here to call bs on that self doubt
and give us practical, no fluff strategies to overcome impostor
syndrome and build unshakable confidence in the workplace. Rachel, thank
you so much for being on the show.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Well, I am absolutely delighted to be Are you here
with you Nicole today? Thank you for having me?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Absolutely, all right, I'm going to dive in with the basics.
Impostor syndrome is one of those terms that gets thrown
around a lot. But what does that actually look like
in real life? And how do you see it show
up in the workplace?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Okay, well, I think it's really important to start with
defining what imposter syndrome actually is because there are a
lot of misconceptions out there about it. So, imposter syndrome
is when an individual secretly believes that they are not
as competent, talented, knowledgeable, or experienced as other people seem
to think that they are. And they think this despite
sometimes overwhelming compelling evidence to suggest otherwise. So there's this
(02:40):
disconnect between how they see themselves and how other people
see them, often putting their success down to luck or
timing or right time or right place, or you know, thinking, well,
you know, if I can do it, anyone can do
it kind of thing. So the success that other people
see them as having leaves them feeling like they're a
fake or frault or a phony because there's this gap
(03:01):
between how they see themselves and how other people see them.
Now it's often associated with high achieving tight A personalities,
and the issue is that these people it's not that
these people aren't capable. They're more than capable. It's just
that they don't see themselves this way. And it's really
important to define that imposter syndrome isn't something that we
feel twenty four to seven. There are specific triggers that
(03:22):
set our feelings of not being an impostor off.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
So to kind of say what it looks like in
real life.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I mean shows up in the workplace in lots of
different ways, but most of the time, like for example,
you might get a job and then suddenly think, oh,
hl's made a mistake, Like they've made a mistake.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
They're going to find out that.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
I don't actually know what I'm doing, And so that
kind of then leads lends itself into your in your role,
doing the work consistently doubting yourself, and then you know
you're going into this spiral of negative thinking.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah, I mean, I feel like so many of us
know this feeling so well. I know I can speak
from firstand experience. I have to fight against the impostor syndrome,
and I am a type a high performer person, so
I feel like I fit the stereotype perfectly. So why
do you think it's so common amongst us high performers
(04:14):
and people at the top of their game struggling with
being in this place where we feel like I think
they might have made a mistake hiring us.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Yeah, I mean, the very nature of being a high
achiever is that you are always striving for better and
more so looking for that kind of elusive perfect right
so perfectionism and imposter syndrome very much partners in crime here.
Try and if you you know, as a type a personality,
you want to be the best, you want to deliver
the best, right, and so just by trying to reach
(04:44):
that elusive standard that you're never going to reach because
you know perfect isn't attainable, it's just not. This then
triggers this idea that you are not as good as
others say you are. So even though you're at the
top and you have a plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise. Right,
you're telling yourself that you have somehow fooled people into
(05:05):
believing you are good at what you do, and that
you are there in the position that you're in because
somehow you fooled them and they are going to find
out eventually that you are not.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
As good as they think you are.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
It is so true that I can't believe that we
have this voice in our heads that tell us this,
even with all the evidence stacked against it, we sit
there and say we must have fooled our fulled them
and maked it till we made it, even with everything
we've worked for.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yah, So true, isn't it?
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I mean I had imposter singoes throughout my career, and
you know, one of the key triggers for me was like,
if the c IFO ever came up to me in
my last full time job. I do remember this so
distinctly because he would come up to me and I
would immediately panic and go and say to him, at
what is it time? And he would be like, what
have you come to tell me that you know you
(05:56):
figured it out and that I need to go. And
he was so baffled by this conversation because obviously it's.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Very one sided. For me.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I'm like, he has figured it out. Oh my gosh,
this is it. The shoe has finally drops for him.
He's like, no, I've just come to ask your question.
So you know, it's like this the world that we
live in. Yeah, it's not helpful at all.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
And a lot of people can assume that impostors syndrome
is just about feeling insecure, and you know, you telling
that story can be like that too, and it holds
people back in these big ways. What are some real
career consequences if you don't address your impostors syndrome and
fighte against it?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Well, exactly right.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
If you you know holding back can really affect your career. Like,
for example, you might be holding back from taking leadership
roles like I did that. You know, that's kind of
what happened to me. I would not take leadership roles
because I was too afraid that I was going to
get found out for not knowing enough, and I couldn't
handle the shame of that, Like I just didn't want
to be exposed, right, And so by doing that, by
(06:57):
holding that flying under the radar, you know, kind of
just doing what you have to do so that people
don't find out that you don't really know what you're doing.
It's not only going to affect your career progression, but
it's going to affect you financially too, and it certainly
did for me. The other thing is, like, you know,
your ideas and your brilliance won't get shared, and some
people even leave their roles all together to avoid that.
(07:20):
Shame of being found out just becomes very very stressful.
So it can have real detrimental effects, especially when you're
constantly worried about someone outing you. You know, you can
experience high levels of stress. And if you're overworking and
perfecting things to make up for your so called lack
of knowledge and talent. This could also lead to burnout too.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
That makes perfect sense.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
I mean, if you're struggling with this and you think, Okay,
I don't want to push myself out there in case
someone finds out, it's going to hold you back so
much from you know, promotions and taking risks. So when
you're working with people, what is the mindset shift that
you use or an exercise that you help people shut
this out?
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Well, obviously, you know it's hard to kind of answer
that in a one step way because it's a very
individual experience. You know, you really have to possess, like
personally what's going on for that person on an internal dialogue.
Because there's our belief systems, which fundamentally, imposter syndrome is
a belief system and it has a lot to do
(08:23):
with the way you were raised. Right, So we're all
raised by humans. But at the end of the day,
the messages you receive at home very much lead to
how you experience life later on. So if you've got
parents who are very supportive of everything that you do, then.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
You may not experience imposter syndrome.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Right, But the messages I received was that I was
average that I wasn't that good, that I might not
get very far in life.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
So I never expected to ever achieve that much.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Yeah, I am actually quite smart, and so I really
had to start owning that. So the messages you receive
at home can be play a very big part in
why you might experience in posts in gen so it's
important to investigate that. The other thing is like what
kind of culture are you working in, because there's definitely
different industries that lend itself to creating self doubt in people,
(09:13):
Like advertising is one of them, right, the creative industries,
because there's so much comparison, and you know, people are
kind of clawing each other down. It's very much about
what have you achieved, what have you put out there?
So you really have to understand your environment as well.
It's not just necessarily about what's been going on at
home or how you grew up. All of these things
kind of play into it. So you've got to understand, like,
(09:35):
from an environmental perspective, what are your belief systems from
the bottom up, and then what's kind of going on
around you from the top down.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I never thought about it from the fact that it
can stem all the way from how you were raised
and the things that you were told as a child.
It makes perfect sense that if you're in high stress
roles and things like that, that that absolutely is going to.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Play a case to things.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
And I think a lot of it, like a lot
of our career factors that were kind of out of
our control have a factor Like I was laid off
from my job and that, you know, made me very
fearful that if I made the smallest mistakes in my
next role, you know I was going to be let go.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, I mean that.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
You know that's that can be a massive trigger for
imposter syndrome as well, because now you've internalized the fact
that you know you've made it mean, I'm not good
at right, So then you internalize and that becomes your story.
But a lot of the time, like with imposter syndrome,
that you know it might actually be worth asking yourself,
like maybe I'm not very good at this particular thing
(10:35):
that I'm consistently fearful about and actually asking yourself, well,
do I need to learn something?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Because we can't be good at.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Everything, and sometimes it is a skills gap that we
need to fill, So you know, we have to be
a bit honest with ourselves as well, rather than assessing
ourselves as incapable.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Is it something that we need to work on?
Speaker 1 (10:54):
No, I love the look on that because I think
that sometimes, you know, my impostors syndrome actually pushes to
work a little harder if I feel like I'm uncomfortable,
So I think there can be benefits to it.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Well, yeah, I mean I don't really like the perspective
that in poster syndrome is a good thing. That's not
something that I would promote, because it really isn't. I mean,
it's more like assessing whether there is something that we
need we do need to work on, and it, you know,
like pushing us to work harder can only when we've
got that mindset of well, I'm a fake and affraud
in the phony, and the only way that I'm going
(11:27):
to avoid being found out for being a fake and
affraud and phony is by working harder. Actually just creates
like a vicious circle of I'm trying to chase my
tail away from being a fake, when in fact, it's
about understanding that you're not a fake.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
It's just that you may have a skills gap and
that you just need to fill.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That That makes perfect sense. So a lot of people
struggle for advocating for themselves, and it can be the
impaster syndrome holding them back, whether it's asking for a
raise or a promotion, or speaking up in meetings. What's
one thing that you can suggess people do starting today
to kind of change that and overcome that.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Yeah, a lot of people do struggle to speak up
and advocate for themselves. I mean a lot of the
clients I work with say to me that they feel
overlooked and undervalued. And when I ask them, you know
why they think that is, they tell me that they
think the results should speak for themselves. Now I hear
this so often. It's a very common mistake that you know,
many women make in their careers. But at the end
(12:26):
of the day, we have to remember that our results
don't speak for themselves like we have to speak for them.
So we've got to get over this fear of talking
about our achievements and accomplishments. And as women, we are
taught that bragging is bad. But here's what I'm going
to say to that. It's not bragging if it's based
on facts. So if you played a part, you accomplish
(12:48):
something amazing, then you have the absolute right to own
that and be proud of it.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Now.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
I know this is hard for people, So it's about
starting small to build the confidence around sharing. You know,
your accomplishments, what you've achieved, what you've done. So maybe
you can share it with a friend who you know,
you know who is going to celebrate you, or maybe
a colleague that you feel safe with that always has
your back, and let them know that you know you're
working on being more open and confident about your wins
(13:14):
and that you would like a forum in which to
share that with them. That helps build up your confidence slowly.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
I love that I actually have a creator group for
LinkedIn because so many of us were, you know, scared
to put ourselves out there.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
And be like, hey, we you know hit ten K.
We did this.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Because a lot of us were just like, yeah, I
think people are getting annoyed with us, and we're scared
of that other.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
So we have this kind of safe group that we
do that with.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Which is alarming, isn't it really that we have to
create safe groups to talk about our wins?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I know?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
And that's and of course it's all women.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
So I like, as soon as you said that I
think a lot of it. It was immediately and I even
have women in that group apologizing to each other going, hey,
I'm so sorry, but I just wanted to share this,
and we're like, stop apologizing.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Now, exactly right, drop the apologetic language all the just
I'm sorry, I just did this.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
No, you didn't just do this, you did this.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Yeah, that's really why we created this group, for a
safe space to go, hey, look at what I did.
I've worked really hard to do that, and we all
are here to cheer you on.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
And it's so interesting, like men don't have a problem
with this, do they.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
No, they're not in a secret creator group. Don't tell
each other not to apologize.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Yeah, I mean, men do experience in poster syndrome. There's
no kind of like it's absence by men. You know,
women more than men, it's actually fifty fifty. It's just
that they experienced it in a slightly different way, I think.
And they don't have a problem talking about their wins
because they've never been told that that's a bad thing,
whereas women have.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
So can you expand a little bit on how men
experience in pastor syndrome versus women, how it's different.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
There's no actual data to back anything like that up.
I just think, I mean, from personal experience. I just
think that that maybe the way it comes across for
them is that it can be seen as slight aggression
over holding back or staying down, you know what I mean.
So it might come across as defensiveness or know it
(15:13):
all type of experiences. So, you know, sometimes when we
come across some men who may appear to be a
bit aggressive or defensive, it might be that they're just
doubting themselves inside and then sitting in the meeting room
and along with all of us going oh, my gosh,
I don't know what I'm talking about, And then someone
asks you a question and you just go, oh, just
(15:35):
bluff out some stuff, and one thinks that guy doesn't
know what he's talking about, or they say, wow, I
didn't expect him to be so confident. But underneath, we
have no idea if that person's feeling confidence. So it
can come across differently. But I mean, obviously I can't
speak to that because there's no actual research that backs
any of that up.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
That's just my personal opinion and experience.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
No, that makes perfect sense, And you know, I can
think of a few times where that's happened, and I've
found out later a man in my life was like, actually,
I was just super insecure about that, and that's why
I came off that way. I was kind of overcompensating,
right exactly.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
So there's a difference, isn't it, Because I don't think
a female would do that.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Woman, Sorry, because obviously people identify differently. Yeah, so it does.
It's more about how you handle it than actually like
the experience of it itself, because we all experience it
in a similar way.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
That's so true.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And so if you could give a small shift for
someone to make them stand out without feeling like they're bragging,
what would your suggestion be to be able to share
those wins comfortably and not feel like you're bragging so
much or overcompensating.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Well, as I mentioned before, just maybe start small. So
share with a friend who is supportive, is going to
celebrate you, or a colleague that you feel comfortable with
and or you know, like even if you've got a
smaller group of people at work that you get together
and go, we're just going to talk about what we've
achieved this week. If you have a manager that you
(17:05):
do feel very comfortable with, you know, start sharing your
wins with them because actually you need to do that
in your one on ones with your manager because they
don't know what your results are, so you must share them.
And actually what that does is help build your profile
so that when promote the promotion round comes you are
the person that is top of mind. Because promotions don't
(17:26):
happen in the yearly one to one. They happen throughout
the year. You have to build your profile by saying, hey,
you know I've done this, or we did this, or
this happened. It's like, it's about building up that picture
and doing that in short spurts. It's a lot easier
for people than going so, yes, at the end of
the year, we did this project and I was responsible
(17:47):
for all of it, and no one feels comfortable saying that,
so you know that's yeah, doing it in short spurts.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
That's perfect too.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
And I always suggest to people to write down everything
that they're doing throughout the year and then share those
as well, because you forget by the end of the
year what all you've done too. I you know, you
come for your performance review and you're like, I don't
remember what I was working on in Q one at
all No.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
And you know, you can call it a brag book
or you can call it an accomplishment file. But like
you know, and you get that feedback from people like, oh, hey,
you did a great job, or from the client or
an email or something like, note it down, screenshot it,
keep it, put it in a file somewhere, then you've
got a memory of what's happened.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
As you say, it's a great idea.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So I'm going to talk a little bit about confidence
because I've seen you talk about it as a skill,
and you know a lot of people think that it's
just something you have or you don't. So what do
you think about this misconception of confidence that you either
have it or you don't, and how people can start
building it as a skill.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Well, that's exactly right.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
The biggest misconception about confidence is that people think you
either have it or you don't, or you know, you're
just born with it.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Like that's not true. It just simply doesn't work like that.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
You can't wait to be or feel confident to do
something right. You have to take action and do the
thing that you don't feel confident in To gain small
winds and build confidence up. So that's why it's a
skill because you have to do it. Like with anything
that you learn, you have to do the thing.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
So you go the thing the best.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
You've got to do the thing right the thing.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
So in my coaching programs, I take people through a
framework I developed called Brave Mind, which breaks down as belief, reflect, action, visualize,
and excellence.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Right.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
So to be confident, we have to believe in ourselves right,
and this this is a fundamental. You can't do anything
unless you believe you in your ability to do it.
So this comes down to knowing why we're downing ourselves
and identifying what our negative beliefs are and then shifting
them into more helpful ones. And then we also we've
(19:51):
got to reflect on our ability in how far we've
come right as well as reflecting on what we might
need to do to learn and grow. So that is
about looking out our pulishments, what we've already achieved, and
then identifying, Okay, well maybe I'm not that good at
this thing, so that's okay, I can I've now identified
that that's what I need to do to shift so
I can build confidence in myself. And then as I say,
(20:14):
we've got to take action, because nothing happens unless you act,
and you certainly can't get confident in something if you
don't actually do it. So one of the things that
I wasn't confident in at all is public speaking, and
like being on podcasts was like absolutely terrifying for me,
and you know, doing in person events, which I now do.
So the way I got over that, I knew I
(20:35):
had to change out if I was going to be
successful in a business and as a coach in my career,
I had to face that fear. You've got to be
willing to face your fears and take action. And so
what I did was I joined Toastmasters, and you know,
terrifying as that is, it's a really good framework for
helping people to you know, get over those initial fears
of public speaking because they don't push you too far.
(20:58):
The very first thing you do is introduce yourself for
a minute that is like the longest minute in the world.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
It's like it really I did toast Masters when I
was learning to do speaking, and it's scary, right like.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
The minute I equate the minute in toast Masters.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
You know, when you put something in the microwave to
warm up for a minute and it's the longest minute ever.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And then it's long as you don't realize how little
you are about to speak about yourself until you have
a minute to speak about yourself and you're like, I
have fifteen seconds of material and now we are winging it.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Yeah, and everyone wigs out in that first one. Everyone
wigs out. And so it's about what's good about toast masters,
I think is that you see that, you see that
everybody wigs out and go, oh, it's not just mean.
It gives you that bit of comfort, I suppose. So
that's how I started, and then I just built it
up from there and started putting myself out there and
started my own podcast and put myself onto podcasts. So
(21:51):
it's about taking that action to then start building up
the confidence as you go, because you literally cannot feel
confident in something unless you do it.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah, I completely agree.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
And public speaking is such a good one to bring
up there because it is a fear so many people have.
I mean, I've done a TED talk and people go, oh,
you must be so comfortable public speaking.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
No, it still terrifies me.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Yeah, I just do it now, I have to, you know,
like I've built up this skill of public speaking. I
didn't walk on a stage and was like, I'm a
natural at this, Like I am still backstage freaking out.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
And you know, if you listen to any of the
world class, well known public speakers in the world, they
all say the same, they say, yeah, of course I'm
nervous before I go on. I think also a bit
of nerves is like, it's because you care. You care
that you're going to deliver something good. You want the
people that you're speaking to to have a good experience
and get some value.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah. Your fear comes from, you know, wanting to do
well and hoping that you know you're getting your message
across and that you prepared enough and I mean exactly
what you said, It means you care.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
And also it's important to remember too that fear and
excitement actually lives in the same part of the brain, right,
So we have the same it's the same feelings. It's
just that we have to just turn it into I'm excited,
I'm excited, I'm excited over I'm terrified.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
I'm terrified. I'm terrified. It's repurposing thought process into something I.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Didn't know that, but that makes perfect sense for like
how you feel. But I like that It's like, okay,
well all this fear is excitement.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Just you know, shift it.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah, just shift it, shift it into a nervous good energy.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
So when you're talking impostor syndrome and you build up
this confidence and everything, imposter syndrome doesn't just disappear right
and then.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Never come back.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
So if it creeps up at different points in your career,
how can you, you know, build this confidence up so
that you're not second guessing itself and so the imposter
syndrome doesn't come up as often.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Well, obviously working with me, then.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Everyone take note.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Everyone work with me. There's lots of resources.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
But I would suggest working with the coach or mentor
if imposter synder is really affecting your life and career,
because it's not a quick fixed.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Thing, right.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
You really have to unpack the belief system underneath those feelings,
as well as look at the other external factors that
I mentioned before that contribute, like the industry and culture
that you work in, so that you can become aware
of the triggers and get perspective on why you might
be feeling that way, and then have tools to help
you manage it in the moment, because it does consistently appear.
(24:24):
You know, there's a saying it's like same devil, different level, right.
So for me, that means that the same challenges that
you are coming up across in your career and life
at different levels just comes in different costumes. It has
a different perspective, right, And the more you understand and
become aware of that, the more you can quickly deal
with it because you've got Oh, I identify that, I
(24:46):
recognize you. You've just come in a different costume. Now
I have these tools, I can just change them to
manage the costume that you've appeared in at this particular
level of my career in life.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
That's such a great visual for people to see that,
like you've just come in a different costume.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
So, you know, you've worked with a lot of people
who've really transformed their careers, and you've helped so many
people overcome impastor syndrome. Do you have a favorite success
story of someone who overcame impastor syndrome and you saw
a huge shift in them.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
I mean, yes, me perfect example.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Then I am my best own example because I was
you know, someone who spent twenty years in an advertising career,
not really really. I mean I just didn't get past
that middle management level because I was too afraid, right,
I really held back in my career and never really
spoke up, and so my career was very stunted, not
(25:40):
just from like a promotional or a seniority level, but
also from a financial level. And I felt very dissatisfied,
which leads to a lot of depression burnout in the end,
because I just felt like I just couldn't achieve, and
that's going to affect your mental health. But you know,
now I've kind of gone from someone who was holding
back in their career, never speaking up, to becoming a
(26:03):
coach who is publicly speaking, hosting a podcast, delivering in
person workshops, becoming a top voice on LinkedIn. You know,
I'm a living, breathing example because I worked at it.
I went and said, I need to get over this
because I am good, I am spar I do have
something to say, and really just owning all of that
so that I am, you know, the best example. But
(26:25):
of course I've then translated that to work with my clients,
and so many of my clients have come to me
feeling exactly saying, stuck and unhappy in their careers, not
earning the money they want to earn, feeling overlooked, undervalue,
doubting their ability, so many things. To then go on
to completely change their careers or start following what's on
their hearts, get their dream jobs, pay rises, lead happier
(26:48):
lives with better relationships. So it's all possible when you
unlock the patterns that are holding you back. It's you know,
it's really truly wonderful to see.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
I love that. That's really inspirational.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
I like that it came from a personal place that
you know you did this, and it's incredible all the
things that you've built. I love your content. It's really
cool that you're helping others. You know, you overcame something
and you are sharing that with the world.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Now.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
So if you could give someone just one piece of advice,
I know I'm putting you on the spot, but it
was like, you know, to start tomorrow to work towards
building this confidence and overcoming impostor syndrome. Besides from hey
call me and you know, but if you could do
one small piece of advice for our listeners, what would
that be well.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
I think the easiest get for people is to know
that it is totally normal to feel this way.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Right.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
It's reported that up to seventy percent of people have
felt this way at one time or another in their
qreaze right, so they've felt imposter syndrome.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
So it's very common.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
So know that you're not alone and break the silence
about how you're feeling, because I can guarantee you when
you share it, you will find out how many other
people have felt this way too, So you know the
next time that you're sitting in a meeting with all
those senior people, just know that they are probably worrying
that they don't really know what they're talking about either,
and that someone else someone might find them out too.
So don't assume that everyone in the room is definitely
(28:11):
smarter than you. That we all have these feelings. I
mean not for everybody, of course, but there is a
high percentage of people that feel this way. So you
can take some comfort in knowing that it's normal. There
is nothing wrong with you. You are not broken. And
remember everyone loses when bright people play small.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
I love that that's perfect. That'll be really great advice.
And this has been such an insightful conversation. I feel
like you've debunked so many myths around impostor syndrome, and
a lot of our listeners are going to walk away
with really actionable ways to step into their confidence and
their own value. So for anyone who's listening and thinking, Okay,
I need to work with you, where's the best place
(28:50):
to find you? Connect or come to one of your events?
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Yes, so I do run regular free events, get promoted
and paid your worth in ninety days. I've actually one
on the seventh of March twenty twenty five, Australia's time.
I don't know when this is going out like, but
there are regular events, so you can find those by
following me on LinkedIn Rachel Lowndes. It's r A C
h E L l o U NDS or you can
(29:18):
so follow me on LinkedIn. I'm also on Instagram and
my website is www dot Rachel Loowndes dot com dot AU.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Perfect well, Rachel, thank you again for being on This
was awesome problem.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
I've loved every part of this conversation, so thanks for
having me.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
That wraps up another episode of Top Digital to Me,
where we explore the strategies, trends and innovations shaping the
future of marketing and career growth. Rachel drops some game
changing insights on impostor syndrome, confidence building, and why playing
small doesn't serve anyone, especially not you. If you've been
waiting for to own your success, this is it. If
(30:03):
you found this episode helpful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts,
share it with a friend or colleague, and don't forget
to subscribe on whatever you're listening to me now until
next time, step up, own your success and don't let
imposter syndrome call the shots.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
See you soon.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.