From Imposter to Trailblazer. (And why that matters)
(If you’ve been reading my work for a while and already know how I see the Imposter Complex, feel free to head to start reading this at “Introducing, the Trailblazer's Complex.)
I recently had the incredible good fortune to speak with a group of powerful mavens in the Venture Capital industry. These women are devoted to finding, backing and building category-busting companies that reflect changing demographics, including aging, the rising economic power of women, the shift towards the global majority, and innovative healthcare solutions. Disruptors, through and through.
And? They operate in an industry still overwhelmingly dominated by men.
The stats are pretty grim:
Only 12% of decision makers at VC firms are women.
Only 2.4% are founding partners at VC firms.
Women-led startups received just 2.3% of VC funding in 2020, and of 120 new unicorns (a grade A big deal) in that year, only 10 were female-led. (Source: Crunchbase)
Women hold just 10% of executive-level positions at tech companies globally.
The 2023 Midas List of 100 founders featured only 11 women, the same as in 2022 (with ONE Black founder).
Like I said…grim.
So it stands to reason, the Imposter Complex (or Imposter Syndrome as most people call it) can be UP for some of these women. You know, that sneaky, undermining voice that whispers, "Who do you think you are?" That nagging doubt that convinces you you're not enough, despite all evidence to the contrary. And yet, there they all were, rising to the top.
In short, it was a group of women who have both experienced their fair share of Imposter Complex and are also paradoxically somewhat “over it.”
Because for many women, the “diagnosis” of the Imposter Complex is simply yet another misogynistic scheme designed to slow down women’s progress, as author, founder, and activist Reshma Saujani argues in her ubiquitous address to Smith College about “bicycle face”.
I get it. And I also get why it’s up.
As I’ve said before, the global self-development industry is worth $44 billion as of 2022.
That is a lot of money invested in making people feel like crap about themselves and like they need to be fixed (think diet industry but for confidence). I also want to acknowledge that I work and operate INSIDE of this industry.
AND I see how it’s deeply problematic.
I see the gaslighting, the reductiveness, the toxic positivity, and the manipulative and often predatory practices that can run rampant in the race for a slice of that $44 billion pie.
And I’m most assuredly not alone here.
Australian scholar and critic Rebecca Harkins-Cross writes: “Capitalism needs us all to feel like impostors, because feeling like an impostor ensures we’ll strive for endless progress: work harder, make more money, try to be better than our former selves and the people around us.”
All true.
And?
When us are in the thick of the Imposter Complex experience, it will take us out of action, have us doubt our capacity and keep us alone and isolated.
I’m less interested in TELLING folks what they are experiencing and far more interested in helping them when they find their experience is inhibiting their activation.
One of the other things that I have said for a very, very long time is that the experience of feeling like an imposter comes with some good news.
It means that you hold strong values of excellence, proficiency, and integrity.
It means that what you are doing MATTERS. For instance, I feel no IC in my yoga practice, my painting, my gardening, because those activities do not represent what matters most to me. Unlike my parenting, coaching, writing, and speaking…then it is UP.
It means that you are venturing into the unknown…at the precipice of your expansion.
And if I’m interested in living a life well-lived (which I am), the appearance of the IC has become a beacon signaling the arrival of something that I want…and something that I want to make happen.
But I have come to understand that not everyone holds the same perspective. And that language matters. So if the issue is in the imposter language, maybe it’s time to find language that more accurately reflects the experience.
Maybe it’s time to stop focusing on the fears and doubts and instead lean into the bravery, the innovation, and the path-breaking spirit that is the precursor to said doubt.
Maybe it’s time to claim the real real of what’s happening.
Maybe it’s time to call it something else.
Introducing, the Trailblazer's Complex.
Can you feel that energetic shift? Me too. Here's why.
First Out of the Gate
When you're a trailblazer, you're the first one out of the gate. You're charting new territory, exploring uncharted waters, and setting new standards. This can be both exhilarating and terrifying. But this is precisely what makes trailblazers ICONIC. They dare to go where no one has gone before.
Think of every last icon you admire. Oprah, Malala, AOC. They didn't wait for a road map; they created their own.
Ada Lovelace envisioned capabilities for computers that wouldn’t be realized for over a century, writing the first algorithm intended for a machine. She famously said: “That brain of mine is something more than merely mortal, as time will show.” And it DID.
Misunderstood Brilliance
As a trailblazer, not everyone will understand what you're doing. Your ideas might seem too radical, too ahead of their time. Almost by design, trailblazers out ahead of the pack often face skepticism and resistance.
To the old guard and upholders of the status quo, your new perspectives, new ideas, new energy, and new approaches applied to old problems can feel like a threat.
And not everyone’s gonna like it.
Every great innovator faced naysayers. Your job is to stay true to your vision, knowing that what seems obscure today may well become the new standard tomorrow.
And now is a good time to sidebar and acknowledge that this becomes exacerbated when trailblazers belong to groups that have been overlooked, underestimated, and systemically excluded. Women, people of colour, neurodivergent folks, members of the LGBTQIA+ community…you know what I’m talking about.
Alan Turing made significant contributions to the development of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. Despite his crucial work during World War II, the rampant homophobic discrimination and oppression he faced prevented him from receiving full recognition during his lifetime. (And worse.) “Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine.”
Facing the Fear
Of course, the fear and self-doubt that we know as the Imposter Complex will still rear its head. It will tell you that you're not ready, that you lack the capacity, that you’re alone in your struggles. This fear is part of the Trailblazer’s deal. But make no mistake—it's not a stop sign; it's a signpost that you're moving in the right direction.
Amelia Earhart was clearly a trailblazer in aviation. In a time when female pilots were rare, her solo trans-Atlantic flight challenged gender norms and inspired countless women to pursue their dreams. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do.”
Following the ICONIC Path
For the most part, and with one notable exception, trailblazers don’t follow paths—they make them. And in doing so, they become unforgettable. You're not just participating in the world; you're shaping it. This is what it means to be ICONIC. Your courage to take the first step, despite the doubts and fears, is what sets you apart.
But time for that one notable exception. The ONE path for trailblazers to follow…if they want an easier journey, that is. It’s the ICONIC path…and it’s more of a framework than a path but it’s designed for trailblazers and it’s my life’s work.
Identity: You’re going to need to see yourself as the trailblazer you are. Full stop…or rather, full start.
Confront Critics: Address both external critics and your internal doubts. Understand their nature, and then engineer solutions to move past them. Rachel Carson faced significant opposition when she raised awareness about the dangers of pesticides through her book "Silent Spring," sparking the modern environmental movement and leading to policy changes. And yet, she persisted.
Optimize your Authority: Reflect on your achievements. Reflect on all that you have done and won and healed and survived and use this proof as scaffolding for the next and the next.
Network: Every trailblazer knows they were never intended to go it alone. Surrounding yourself with like-minded folks is the solve for the challenges inherent in this trailblazing life.
Implement Actions: You’ll need to take the next step and the next step and the next step if you’re going to blaze the trail. Action builds confidence…it’s not the other way around.
Celebrate: This may well be the trickiest step in every trailblazer's journey…because their driving spirit has a hard time knowing when enough is enough. And yet, it is vital for integrating the hard work, decisions, tenacity, and conditioning us for more of what we say we want. So yeah…don’t sleep on the celebration.
Onward
Moving from the Imposter Complex to the Trailblazer's Complex is not just a semantic shift. It’s about seeing your distinct journey for what it truly is—a courageous path of innovation, meaning and purpose. Solving for the seemingly unsolvable.
It’s about remembering all the times you stood here, at the precipice of your expansion, jumped or forged ahead, and discovered the party was on the other side of the resistance.
So, the next time you feel that familiar pang of self-doubt, remind yourself:
You're not an imposter.
You're a trailblazer.
What you’re doing matters.
You’ve just never been here before…in fact, few have.
The world needs more of your fearless innovation. AND…you’ve been called forward. So you best answer the call. Because it’s just for you.
Blaze on.