Do You Feel Like A Work Impostor?

My wife and I checked into a hotel in Spain that was built for royalty and now caters to the rich and famous. I felt like I didn’t belong. I kept thinking, “These people can afford to stay here. I don’t belong.”

I tried to dress a bit nicer. Stand up straighter. And eat with my fork in my left hand like Europeans do. But I still felt like an impostor. 

The reality was, whether I paid with points or cash, we belonged. After I got my head around this truth, I enjoyed the hotel experience much more.

A lot of people feel like impostors in their work. 

• We feel like we didn’t full earn our position, ending up there by happenstance. 
• We worry as people place confidence in our decisions, knowing we’re not entirely sure they are correct. 
• Or being viewed as an expert, when we know how much we don’t know about the subject.

A lot of people feel like impostors in their work.  Share on X

Moses felt like an impostor when God asked him to go to Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom. Read Exodus chapters 3 and 4 and see if it doesn’t sound a bit like what you feel sometimes.

In the end, Moses said, “Please send someone else.” He was afraid. Afraid he couldn’t live up to what he was being asked to do. Afraid of the responsibility. Afraid of failing. 

Our fears can get in the way of us fully living out our calling.

While we need to work to become competent, when we step out into something new we will often lack confidence.

We may always carry a bit of the feeling of being impostor with us. Embrace it. Ask God for wisdom, move forward, work hard, ask for help, and do your best. 

It won’t be too long before you’ve gained the experience and skill you felt you were missing.

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