Dealing With the Imposter That Lies Within You with Sheryl Anjanette.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as we discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income.

Sheryl Anjanette is the author of The Imposter Lies Within, and an international speaker, thought leader, and trainer on the topics of imposter syndrome, burnout, and peak performance. As a natural extension of her 30-year career as an entrepreneur and marketing and communications executive, Sheryl has dedicated her work to helping individuals and organizations overcome the debilitating effects of imposter syndrome. Here's my conversation with Sheryl Anjanette.

What Imposter Syndrome Actually Is

Sheryl: Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern — and I want you to put emphasis on the word pattern — where someone feels like they're not good enough in spite of their accomplishments. It's not that other people think you're an imposter. It's that you feel like one. There's a disconnect between your actual accomplishments and how you feel about them. And because it's patterned, it's not just your habits or behaviors that get patterned — your thoughts, your beliefs, and your self-talk do too.

It's More Pervasive Than You Think

Sheryl: Before the pandemic, about 70% of people identified with imposter syndrome. Since the pandemic, that number has risen to around 85%. And here's what makes it so isolating: people suppress those feelings. They put on a confidence cloak. They learn how to show up, how to give the right eye contact, how to shake hands and look the part. But underneath, they're suppressing "I'm not good enough, not worthy, not deserving." We feel alone in it — until we realize the vast majority of people feel exactly the same way.

The Myths That Keep You Stuck

Sheryl: One of the most dangerous myths is "feel the fear and do it anyway." That's not a cure — and it can make things worse. If someone believes that's the solution and they still have the symptoms, they conclude they're even more of a failure because they "should be past this." Another myth: imposter syndrome is just for beginners. Actually, it tends to show up most intensely once you've become quite accomplished. The more you've achieved, the more you have to lose — and the louder that voice gets.

The Real Costs of Not Addressing It

Sheryl: For every fear you've felt and moved through, most people can list one or more they didn't. They stepped back. They didn't put themselves in the running. That's one cost. The other is burnout. The overdoing, overthinking, over-pleasing, over-perfecting — it creates energy leaks that spiral into exhaustion. There are even physical changes in the brain: the amygdala becomes overactivated, and the prefrontal cortex — the creative, innovative, reasoning part — weakens. For public speakers especially, that loss of creativity and clarity has real consequences.

Fake It Till You Make It — Used Wisely

Sheryl: There's a healthy zone where all of our human emotions — fear, doubt, comparison — serve us well. In that zone, "fake it till you make it" is just putting on the cloak to get yourself started. You walk in, you feel the energy of the room, and it gets you to the place you need to be. That's useful. Where it becomes dangerous is when you're always faking it, never yourself — when you lose track of who you actually are underneath the performance. That's the maladaptive version, and it's where real damage happens.

Two Things You Can Do Right Now

Sheryl: First, get yourself into a calm physical state. Deep breathing — not shallow chest breathing, but breath that pulls all the way into the belly. Breathe in slowly for four to eight counts, hold, then release slowly. Do three to five rounds. This immediately resets your nervous system. Second, take out a piece of paper — pen to paper, not a keyboard — and write down every accomplishment you can think of, including the soft ones: I'm a great listener, I always show up for people, I'm creative under pressure. Then read that list out loud to yourself in front of a mirror. Do it daily. It's powerful because it gives your logical brain the evidence it needs to counter the imposter feeling.

Peter: Sheryl, where can listeners find you and your book?

Sheryl: Visit me at sherylanjanette.com — Sheryl with an S. There's an imposter syndrome quiz, a self-sabotage quiz, and information about my small-group program, the Voyage Past Self-Sabotage. And The Imposter Lies Within is available on Amazon worldwide.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.