Unpeeling the Imposter Syndrome & Identity Crisis Labels… and Other Unhelpful Labels… with Truth, Identity & Purpose Coaching

I hear the term, “imposter syndrome” used a lot, and many of us have described ourselves as struggling with this issue at one point or another. As I understand the label, “imposter syndrome” is when someone’s perception of who they are, and their abilities related to a specific role, including a professional position, is different than other peoples’ perception of the individual’s abilities in that role.

Another label I hear clients and others use is “identity crisis,” meaning that they’re in crisis over a sense that they lack identity, meaning and purpose in their life. While I understand that it can sometimes feel helpful to identify with a term or a label, so that you can say, “yes, that explains how I’m feeling,” the labeling itself can become unhelpful in the process of understanding, at a deeper level, why you’re feeling that way, and moving forward and beyond that associated terminology.

My own experience with self-labeling, related to this or that physical or emotional condition… or other ways of being in the world… was that it became difficult for me to find my way out of the boxes those terms represented. It’s from similar experience that I tend not to use assessment tools in my coaching. As a young professional, I was required to take personality assessments at work retreats… and while at the time it seemed fun to answer some questions and have my “type” revealed… and also to learn how my co-workers were labeled… I eventually saw that I had somehow become attached to those labels, and I began to fear that I might be stuck with them for life. The possibilities of who I might become and what I might do for our world seemed to be diminishing under the cloud of those assessments that were based on a series of questions and scenarios someone else - not me - created.

I believe that you have your own manual and set of instructions, where labels aren’t used to describe you, and nobody else but you, and the energy that guides you, has access to them. A need to understand who you are and why you’re here on Earth at this time is not a syndrome or crisis. It’s natural, and the deep satisfaction that can come from that connection is uniquely yours.

So, while I don’t use assessment tools in my coaching, I do partner with you to connect with the energy that resides in your body – your full and complete self – to guide you to real solutions and forward momentum. That’s Truth, Identity & Purpose Coaching in action.

Note: if you (or the audience your organization serves) are presently unable to function emotionally in your daily life, then coaching is not advisable at this time. Once you work with the right licensed therapist or other licensed clinician, and are feeling emotionally stable, then I’d be happy to have a conversation about how I can help you move forward with your personal and/or professional goals, and to fully access your Truth, Identity & Purpose.

Background image by Elizabeth Lemont