I won’t discuss how to overcome your fear in this article. Instead, I will focus on the fear that arises when you think you’re getting past it—the belief that you’re no longer capable of serving clients effectively or that you might become incapacitated at some point in your working life.

I’m not sure who coined the phrase impostor syndrome, but over the past ten years, it has become a feature of many different views about how we perceive ourselves in the workplace. This fear—that we will be discovered to be the impostors we believe ourselves to be—and the promise that all you have to do is “fake it till you make it” has become common advice.

Procrastination arises from various reasons, but often, at its core, lies the fear of taking the first step. Typically, this fear is rooted in the fear of failure. Perhaps you’ve attempted something numerous times, failing to achieve your goal each time. A classic example is trying to establish a dieting habit.

As humans, we have extremely powerful imaginations.  Our imaginations allow us to build things in our minds before we create them with our hands.  We envision, plan, strategize, and execute.  For example, a chess player uses their imagination to consider all the different moves that could arise from a given position.  Our imagination is a potent tool but can also be a source of fear.