The Quickest and Easiest Way to Eliminate Imposter Syndrome—Forever

When I left the world of union construction after 35 years and stepped into the entrepreneurial space, I wasn’t scared.

Not because I had all the answers.
Not because I had some magic formula.

But because I knew something most people didn’t:

I knew how to be a white belt again.

Back in the late 80s, I thought being an electrician was just about pipe and wire.

Over the decades, I realized I was learning far more: communication, team leadership, process control, flow systems, emotional intelligence, and project management.

I wasn’t just building buildings—I was building myself.

So when I stepped off the jobsite and into coffee meetings with entrepreneurs and business leaders, I didn’t feel like a fraud.

I didn’t feel like I had to pretend I belonged.

I knew I didn’t have all the answers—but I also knew I could learn. I had done it before.

And I knew how to listen. How to ask questions. How to respect the experience of others.

In martial arts, you see this lesson play out all the time. Put a kickboxer in a jiu-jitsu match and he’ll get tapped. Put a wrestler in a boxing ring and he’ll get KO’d. Being great in one domain doesn’t mean you’ll dominate another.

But the people who thrive are the ones who respect the craft, who shut their mouths and open their eyes. The ones who can say, “Teach me.”

Imposter Syndrome only thrives when you try to be what you’re not.

But when you own what you are—without shame, without pretense—you’re free.

That freedom is what makes a real leader.

What Is Imposter Syndrome—Really?

​Imposter Syndrome is that uncomfortable voice in your head that whispers, “You don’t belong here. They’re going to find out you’re a fraud.”

But here’s the truth: almost everyone hears that voice.

Doctors. Lawyers. CEOs. Creators. Athletes.

It’s not a problem of skill. It’s a problem of identity.

We feel like imposters when we tie our worth to an outcome we haven’t yet earned—or can’t yet sustain. We think we need to act like we know everything. We pretend. We pose. We front.

And the more we fake it, the louder that voice gets.

The key to killing Imposter Syndrome isn’t by “achieving more.” It’s by changing your relationship to who you are and what you bring to the table.

Why Trying to “Be an Expert” Backfires

In every field—especially new ones—you’ll meet people who pretend.

They speak in buzzwords.
They name-drop.
They over-explain things they barely understand.

Why?

Because they’re terrified of being found out.

Here’s the paradox: The more you pretend, the less people trust you.

The less you admit what you don’t know, the more they suspect you know even less than you claim.

Confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything.
It comes from knowing exactly what you do know—and not needing to lie about the rest.

The Mat Doesn’t Lie

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, if you try to fake your rank, it shows. Fast.

You don’t need to say a word. Once the roll begins, your skills—or lack of them—become immediately obvious.

You’re either a white belt with humility—or a white belt pretending to be a black belt, which is far worse.

The only way to grow is to be honest about where you are.

This principle applies off the mat too.

In life. In business. In relationships.

People respect the person who says:

That’s real strength.

How to Eliminate Imposter Syndrome—Forever

1. Stop Trying to Be Something You’re Not

Drop the act. Own your level.

It’s okay to be new. It’s okay to be learning. Everyone starts somewhere. Nobody starts at mastery.

2. Find and Honor Your Cross-Domain Wins

You’re not starting from zero. You bring with you every skill, experience, and lesson from every field you’ve trained in.

Electricians can become brilliant system builders.
Martial artists can become patient, calm negotiators.

What seems like a different world is often just a different application.

3. Shift from “Expert” to “Practitioner”

Don’t call yourself a guru. Call yourself a student.

A student who takes action. Who tries. Who reflects. Who keeps showing up.

That’s what people trust. That’s who people follow.

4. Surround Yourself with Real Ones

Find a room where you’re not the smartest person.

Watch how real leaders act. They ask questions. They give credit. They share lessons from failure.

Iron sharpens iron. Get around people who make you better—not just look better.

5. Give Before You Ask

Don’t show up trying to prove something. Show up trying to offer something.

Serve. Share what you know. Help solve a problem.

Contribution kills insecurity.

6. Learn to Say These Three Words

They are a sign of strength—not weakness.

Most people pretend because they fear losing status.

But the ones who rise fastest are those who learn fastest—and you can’t learn if you don’t admit what you don’t yet know.

7. Keep Putting In Reps

Just like on the mat, the only way to get better is to train.

Imposter Syndrome fades every time you:

• Do the thing you feared
• Learn something new
• Help someone else
• Show up again

Reps build respect. Especially self-respect.

The Truth: You Don’t Need to “Eliminate” Imposter Syndrome

Here’s the twist:

You don’t need to eliminate that voice.

You just need to stop obeying it.

It’s not the voice that hurts you.
It’s the lie you live because of it.

Own your truth. Own your level. Own your journey.

Then get to work.

Putting It On the Mat

I remember one day at a small entrepreneur meetup in Los Angeles. I was in a room of tech founders, online marketers, and business coaches.

I had no business card. No startup. No social media strategy.

Just a notepad, a decent coffee, and the willingness to learn.

One of the speakers—an Ivy League guy—started talking about “customer acquisition pipelines” and “CAC-to-LTV ratios.” A few people nodded along. A few checked out. One guy asked a question that didn’t land well.

Then the speaker looked at me and said, “You’ve been quiet. What’s your take?”

I smiled.

A beat. Then a chuckle. Then a couple more.

I went on.

The speaker nodded.

“That’s actually a great analogy.”

The conversation shifted. Suddenly, I wasn’t the ‘blue-collar guy who doesn’t get it.’ I was the guy who saw it differently.

And that’s the lesson:

You don’t need to fake your way into the room.
You just need to bring your truth to the table.

You’ve got years of experience. You’ve fought battles. You’ve survived hard times. You’ve solved problems that books don’t even talk about.

Own that.

Stop waiting to “feel like you belong.”
Start acting like the warrior you already are.

Because the truth is—

Imposter Syndrome dies the day you stop pretending.
And leadership begins the moment you say:

That’s how we lead.
That’s how we grow.
That’s how we win.

Let’s put it on the mat.

What are you pretending to know?
What would happen if you dropped the act and just… showed up?

Try it this week.

Watch what changes.