You’re talented, accomplished and successful. You are a technical expert or a respected manager. People think you have it all together. Yet you still think to yourself “Everyone thinks I’m much smarter than I really am. I feel like I’m faking it.”Many smart and successful people have a great resume with a long list of accomplishments. But they doubt their own skills and dismiss their own success. It's the Impostor Syndrome, a secret self-doubt that is especially prevalent in technical and creative fields. This causes qualified and talented people to feel anxious, overwhelmed and isolated, all while performing exceptionally well. They fear that success is so fragile that it could evaporate at any moment, and people will see them as some type of fraud. It’s estimated that 70% of people suffer from this. But by changing your thinking, you can begin to enjoy your success, be proud of your abilities, confidently face new opportunities without fear of being unmasked as a fake. You’ll experience a new freedom when you begin to break free from the clench of the counterfeit.

Maureen Zappala, a former NASA propulsion researcher (yes, she's a rocket scientist!) explores this topic of self-doubt and Imposter syndrome, while explaining strategies to take you from self-doubt to self-confidence. You can match your confidence to your competence and unleash your influence.