A few years ago, I hit a wall in my career.

I was working in a large organization, doing work I was good at, but it all started to feel… monotonous. Uninspired. Stagnant. I knew something needed to change, and not just a little tweak—I needed a drastic shift.

Let’s be honest—giving feedback can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and downright difficult.

Maybe you’re worried about hurting someone’s feelings. Maybe you’ve tried giving feedback before, only to have it dismissed or taken the wrong way. Or maybe you’re on the other end of the spectrum—you don’t hesitate to be direct, but sometimes your feedback lands with more resistance than results.

If you’ve ever thought, I don’t belong here, I’m not as good as they think I am, or I just got lucky, you’ve probably heard the term "imposter syndrome." It’s everywhere; on social media, in professional circles, and in casual conversations among high-achieving women.

But what if I told you that imposter syndrome isn’t actually real?