Do you have Imposter Syndrome?

Before you jump straight to a "yes" or "no", listen to episode 130 of Legal Imposters.

There are 10 stages of Imposter Syndrome and whether your goal is progression or simply excelling at what you do, it's important to know the stage you're at and how to move closer to the solution.

If you've never heard of Imposter Syndrome or have no idea what it is (Stage 1: Ignorance), figuring out your next step (finding out what it is) and taking that step today is pretty straight forward.

But if you're at Rejection (stage 3) or Resignation (stage 6) for example, knowing the next step and the fastest way to get there may not be so clear.

Episode 130 is goingit change that.

As with all personal and professional development, awareness is the first and often the most powerful step. Seeing that you've been stuck in Resistance (stage 5) for years, for example, can be illuminating. When you know and understand, you feel motivated to do something about it. This is great news for your confidence and fantastic news for your career. You're one step closer to getting unstuck.

And awareness isn't the only benefit to knowing the 10 stages and understanding where you are right now. One other benefit is perspective - you're going to stop seeing youir Imposter Syndrome in isolation, and start seeing it in the broader context of the Imposter Syndrome experience as a whole, and how your relationship with it can (and will) shift over time.

Which brings me to the biggest benefit of all -hope. If you think Imposter Syndrome is all about negativity and suffering, the 10 stages of Imposter Syndrome shows you otherwise. You'll discover that it's possible not just to overcome Imposter Syndrome, but to be Empowered (stage 9) by it and even Enlightened (stage 10) by it - something you never could have imagined. Whichever stage you're at, you're about to discover that you your experience of Imposter Syndrome can be a positive and uplifting one when you have the right tool.

I know this because I've done it.

And if I can do it, so can you.

Happy listening.

P.S. Inside Be The First Membership you will learn to overcome Imposter Syndrome so you have the confidence to show up to your potential. This doesn't just change how you work. It changes how you feel at work. Never again the only. Always the first. Doors to the Membership open May 1st at 12pm (UK) for 10 days only. Be ready. Keep listening for details.

Fot the Secret Signs of Imposter Syndrome click here

Who do you think you are? And who gets to decide?

This week on the podcast we're talking about identity- the thoughts you think about yourself and the power they have over your experience of being the only one.

Based on what I see inside Be The First, too many of you are walking around with identities that don't serve you. Perhaps those identities are inherited. Sometimes they are adopted. Other times they are imposed or have simply accumulated.

But the one I see most often is the identity of being the Only One.

How you think about yourself in the room isn't just important. It's your whole experience. Not just how you feel. But how you behave. How you perform. And your readiness to step up to the next level. It's the difference between doing just enough to survive in this industry and being the black lawyer who thrives in this industry. Not just inside the office. But in your relationships and personal life too.

Something this important can't be left to chance. And it doesn't have to be. You can choose your identity and I recommend you start making that choice now.

if you're a black lawyer, whatever your career stage, this is exactly the work we do inside the Be The First Membership. In it you will get immediate access to the Identity Course where you explore 5 core aspects of your identity and shape these into an empowering speech - The Imposter Speech - to override self doubt in the moment and give you the confidence to show up at your highest level.

Doors open 1st May. Save the date and be the first to know by joining the waitlist here.

I'm hearing too many stories of you not getting the feedback you need to motivate you, confirm you're meeting expectations and support your progression to the next level.

Working for partners or line managers who communicate badly (or not at all) or who constantly postpone or cut short your review isn't just frustrating, it's unacceptable.

It's also career threatening.

Feedback that is consistently unforthcoming or unclear, or is too little and arrives too late, has far too often been the critical factor in your decision to head for or worse, be shown, the door.

But feeling powerless in the face of inadequate feedback should never be what derails your career.

You've worked too hard, for too long, and been through way too much for that.

That's why in this week's episode of the Legal Imposters podcast I help you change that.

In it I explain why you must stop leaving your feedback to chance (having a line manager who takes it seriously and does it well) and take ownership of that feedback yourself. I also give you a 3 step process for actioning this advice right now, the minute you finish listening to the podcast.

If your brain is rebelling against making feedback your job, it's not alone! This is hard coaching. One of my client's immediate reaction to this inside Be the First was "why should I be the one?!".

I get it.

But why should they be the ones to derail your career?

Taking ownership of your feedback isn't letting your boss off the hook. In fact, it isn't about them at all. It's about you: in the driving seat of your career so no one person's neglect can come between you the career you want to build and the life you want to live.

Happy listening.

P.S. Taking ownership of your feedback is harder when you depend on external validation to believe you're enough. If you're a black lawyer and this is you, I invite you to join the Be The First Membership, where you learn to overcome Imposter Syndrome and build confidence in who you are, so you can be brilliant at what you do. Doors open on 1st May. If this resonates, join the waiting list today and receive an invitation direct to your inbox when enrolment opens. Click here to join the waitlist.