Smart, Qualified… and Still Unsure? You’re Not Alone

Imposter syndrome is sneaky.

It doesn’t always announce itself as fear or doubt. Sometimes it just whispers things like,

“You’re not ready.”

“You don’t really belong here.”

“Eventually, someone will figure out you don’t know what you’re doing.”

A couple years ago, I found myself in the thick of it—juggling big responsibilities at work and pursuing grad school at the same time. On paper, I was successful. In reality, I was questioning whether I had any value to add at all.

Then one day, something shifted.

I was out for a run, trying to clear my head, when I heard a quote on the Armchair Expert podcast that stopped me in my tracks—literally.

“Confidence comes from having a point of view.”

– Dax Shepard

At first, it didn’t seem earth-shattering. But it hit me at just the right time. I thought: Wait. I have a point of view. I have thoughts. I have opinions. I know things. So why was I so hesitant to speak up? Why was I constantly second-guessing myself?

The truth is, the more I’ve learned over the years, the more I’ve realized just how much I don’t know. That humility can be healthy—but it can also erode your confidence if you’re not careful.

As I continued to grow in my career and take on bigger roles, leading larger teams and more strategic initiatives, that doubt still crept in. The stakes felt higher, the audiences more senior. But I kept coming back to this: I was the go-to person for that topic—and that counted for something.

And that’s often the case for actuaries and other technical professionals. We’re brought into conversations because we do know something others don’t. Our analysis, insights, and point of view are what others are counting on.

In fact, imposter syndrome often hits those who are more competent, not less. It’s the mirror image of the Dunning-Kruger effect, where people with limited knowledge overestimate their abilities. With imposter syndrome, the more you know, the more aware you become of what you don’t know. That awareness can lead to self-doubt—but it doesn’t mean you’re not qualified. It means you care.

That quote from Dax Shepard reminded me that expertise doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means being thoughtful, curious, and willing to share your perspective. It means knowing what matters to you and being bold enough to stand behind it—even if it evolves over time.

Ever since that moment, my imposter syndrome has slowly started to loosen its grip. I won’t pretend it’s gone for good (I’m not sure it ever fully disappears), but now when it shows up, I know how to meet it:

With a point of view.

And maybe a good podcast.

Here’s to walking into every room knowing we’ve earned our seat at the table.