Flighting with imposter syndrome

It took me years to get to grips with my imposter syndrome.

It's more than just some negative self talk. It comes from something much deeper in you and widespread in our society and culture.

Imposter syndrome can break peoples CIC dreams at any stage. It doesn't help we are CIC owners get a lot of negativity directed at us. The people that don't get what we do or the ones who question the money we earn.

It is also previlant if your from a lower socioeconomic economic background or because of the crap teacher and in some cases parents told us about getting jobs and staying in our boxes.

Some common signs you may have imposter syndrome;

• comparing your CIC to larger established organisational and doubting your CIC idea, ambition or yourself as project manager/founder

• Worrying what your doing isn't worthy, your just blagging it, it's a con to get funding, the money would be best spent else where.

• Your defensive when people ask what your doing, you keep a low profile and don't shout about what your doing for fear your not good enough or someone will ask more question and it will all come out you weren't good enough to get the funding.

STOP!

Seriously if you think any of these even for a fleeting moment. Just say to yourself, stop!

This is all so common because, first of all, you are creating something from nothing. Just off an idea. In a world of already established, slick looking, impactful great social enterprises.

Don't compare your new CIC to organisation that have been around for years!

Just focus on your aims. What was your original goal for years 1-3? Have a realistic growth path planned out.

Remember your CIC that earns in £40k ish in grants is a drop in the ocean. Do you know what this country wastes in tax payer money! A desk in an office cost about £80k in all round costs of a staff member sitting at it in somewhere like London. You have massive management structure above each front line worker.

Your CIC is tiny but because it's grassroots it's massively more impactful.

I saw a bid a larger CIC wrote that the lottery awarded half a million to over three years. I was gobsmacked they only aimed to help 5 people job hunt a year! At the time I was helping 35 young people with a whole package of stuff to help them into work and keep them out of prison for just £10k community fund.

And that's a wide spread situation. Larger voluntary sector and public sector pull down millions and waste millions.

Do not every think you and your project isn't worth those grants.

The key to fighting imposter syndrome is simple;

• Be bold and very loud with your mission statement and your aims for impact.

• Sing loudly every little activity and success. If one person turns up to your free workshop get a quote from them and celebrate that!

• Organise yourself. Be productive. Keep to a routine.

• Keep to your personal aims as well. Remember why you stated and what you want out of it.

• and F the haters.