Own Your Greatness: Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life

by Lisa Orbé-Austin PhD, Richard Orbé-Austin PhD

Overview

Stop letting impostor syndrome hold you back! This interactive workbook of research-backed exercises and therapy-backed activities will help you conquer self-doubt, realize your true worth, and enjoy your success.

How many times have you thought that everyone is crushing it except you? How often have you looked at one of your accomplishments and attributed it to luck or the help of others? It can be difficult to acknowledge our own successes and skills, and overcome the feeling of being an impostor. But moving past that feeling is crucial to continuing down the path to even greater success and happiness.

Own Your Greatness will give you all the tools you need to recognize and overcome the impostor syndrome that is holding you back. Packed full of research-backed and therapy-based exercises, journal prompts, and activities, this interactive workbook will help you:

• Identify the root causes of your impostor syndrome
• Recognize your natural skills and strengths
• Gain the confidence to lead
• Speak up for yourself
• Feel comfortable receiving and giving praise

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646040247
Publisher:	Ulysses Press
Publication date:	04/28/2020
Series:	Your Greatness
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin is a licensed psychologist and executive coach. She earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from Columbia University. Her expertise on impostor syndrome is regularly sought by the media and she has appeared in outlets such as Financial Times, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Refinery29. She has also been honored twice as a Top Voice on LinkedIn in the areas of Job Search and Careers and Mental Health. Dr. Orbé-Austin has been an invited speaker at various national conferences. She recently gave a TEDx talk entitled "The Impostor Syndrome Paradox: Unleashing the Power of You."

Trained as a clinician and researcher, her work is focused on providing practical, achievable results through research-backed science. She is a contributor to The American Psychological Association’s volume on Imposter Phenomenon entitled The Impostor Phenomenon: Psychological Research, Theory, and Interventions (APA Press, 2024).

Her first book, Own Your Greatness: Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life (Ulysses Press, 2020) coauthored with her partner, Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin, was released in April 2020. Their book was a finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book Award. Her second book, Your Unstoppable Greatness: Break Free of Impostor Syndrome, Cultivate Your Agency, and Achieve Your Ultimate Career Goals (Ulysses Press, 2022) is focused on dealing with the systemic dynamics in workplaces and cultures that keep impostor syndrome in place and how to directly combat those dynamics.

Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin is a licensed psychologist, executive coach, and consultant. He earned his PhD in counseling psychology from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education and his BA in psychology from NYU. In his practice, Dr. Orbé-Austin works with executives, senior leaders, and mid-career professionals to overcome impostor syndrome, identify their best-fit career options, advance their career goals, and strengthen their leadership skills. He also regularly consults to academic institutions, corporations, and nonprofit organizations on issues related to leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racist practice, burnout prevention, impostor syndrome, and creating healthy workplaces.

Dr. Orbé-Austin’s opinions and writings have appeared in a variety of publications and academic journals, including Forbes, Fast Company, ThriveGlobal, Diversity Executive, the Journal of Multicultural Counseling & Development and the Handbook of Racial-Cultural Counseling and Psychology. He is a TEDx speaker and the author of the book Own Your Greatness: Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life (Ulysses Press, 2020), coauthored with his partner, Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin. The goal of the book is to provide a systematic formula to eliminate impostor syndrome and to assist readers to own their talents and power in order to fully realize their goals and lead a more balanced life. It was a Foreword INDIES Book Award Finalist. His second book Your Unstoppable Greatness: Break Free from Impostor Syndrome, Cultivate Your Agency, and Achieve Your Ultimate Career Goals (Ulysses Press, December 2022), also coauthored with his partner, focuses on how to sustain your impostor syndrome–free life, reduce burnout, and improve healthy leadership skills while conquering toxic work cultures. He is also a contributor to the American Psychological Association’s volume on impostor phenomenon, entitled The Impostor Phenomenon: Psychological Research, Theory, and Interventions (APA Press, March 2024).

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 An Overview and Assessment of Impostor Syndrome 3

Signs of Impostor Syndrome 4

Impact on Education and Career 5

The Professional Impact of Your Impostor Syndrome 10

Trait vs. State 10

Gender Differences 11

What Is Your Typical Impostor Response? 12

The Impact of Culture 13

The Key Features of Your Impostor Syndrome 14

Your Impostor Syndrome Intensity 15

The 3 C's Strategy to Overcoming Impostor Syndrome 16

Chapter 2 Step 1: Identify Your Impostor Syndrome Origin Story 20

Family Dynamics 21

Identify Your Family Dynamics 24

Legend of Genogram Symbols 25

Ashten's Sample Genogram 26

Your Impostor Syndrome Family Dynamics 27

Chapter 3 Step 2: Know Your Impostor Syndrome Triggers 29

Your Competencies Today 30

Impostor Scenarios 33

Why Your Triggers Exist 35

Trigger Origins 36

The Expressive Letter 37

Facing Triggers in the Here and Now 39

Chapter 4 Step 3: Change Your Narrative 40

Statement of Position Map 42

Thickening Your Story 45

Your Autobiography 47

Chapter 5 Step 4: Speak Your Truth 51

Two Impostor Syndrome Confidants 53

Accomplishments 54

Case Study: Cal 54

Owning Your Accomplishments 55

Strengths 56

Identify Three of Your Strengths 58

Chapter 6 Step 5: Silence Automatic Negative Thoughts 60

Your Typical ANTs 60

Identify Your ANTs 62

Countering ANTs 63

Challenging Your ANTs 65

Turning Down the ANTs Volume 66

Your Positive Tape Plan 67

Chapter 7 Step 6: Value Your Self-Care 69

Impostor Syndrome-Induced Burnout 70

Burnout Assessment 71

Setting Suitable Boundaries to Combat Burnout 72

Contributors to Your Burnout 73

Boundary-Setting Strategies 73

Valuing Yourself: Role Clarity and Evaluation 74

Clarifying Role Expectations 75

Self-Care: Overcoming Burnout 75

Perfectionism: A Major Barrier to Self-Care 76

How Your Perfectionism Functions 77

How to Combat Perfectionism 80

Strategies for Self-Care 81

Task and Time Management: Keys to Self-Care 82

Self-Care Activities 83

Self-Care Micro-Habits 86

Identifying a Self-Care Accountability Partner 86

Self-Care Accountability Partner 87

Solidifying Self-Care 87

Making Self-Care Plans Visible 87

Chapter 8 Step 7: Experiment with New Roles 90

Typical Roles for Impostor Syndrome 92

Name Your Impostor Roles 93

The Cost of Changing Roles 93

Role Cost-Benefit Analysis 94

Experimenting with New Roles: Common Options 95

New Role Play 96

Experimenting with New Roles: Low-Stakes Engagement 96

Try on the New Role 97

Experimenting with New Rotes: High-Stakes Engagement 98

New Role Adoption Plan 98

Creating a More Expansive Menu of Role Options 99

Chapter 9 Step 8: Establish Your Dream Team 101

Considering a Therapist 103

Finding a Coach 104

Resources to Find a Coach 104

Other Dream Team Members 105

Assess Your Dream Team Needs 110

Skills to Build the Team 110

Identify Dream Team Members 113

Chapter 10 Step 9: Understand and Create the Conditions for Your Optimal Performance 116

Card 1 The Origin and New Beginnings Card 118

Card 2 The Neutralizing Triggers Card 119

Card 3 Your New Narrative Card 120

Card 4 Speak Your Truth and Know Your Strengths 121

Card 5 Most Popular ANTs and Your Repellent 121

Card 6 Self-Care Commitments 123

Card 7 New Roles 124

Card 8 Your Dream Team 125

Card 9 Your Key Takeaways 126

Your Impostor Syndrome Coping Card Toolbox 127

Chapter 11 Own Your Greatness 128

Understanding Lapse vs. Relapse 129

Identifying Lapse vs. Relapse 130

Barriers to Consistently Utilizing the 3 C's Strategy 131

Major Life Changes or Disruptions 133

Summary of the 3 C's Strategy 133

Conclusion 135

Your Impostor Syndrome Commitment 136

Bibliography 137

Acknowledgments 140

About the Authors 143