I recently experienced a crazy moment of imposter syndrome in a meeting. I felt like I was so much less valuable than everyone else on a call and felt lost as to how I ended up in that position. Here's how I got out of it and the mindset I've adopted.

The Confidence Crisis: What to Do When You Feel Like a Fraud at Work

That moment when you're sitting in a meeting thinking "What am I doing here?" - we've all been there, and here's how to push through it.

The Call That Changed Everything

Picture this: You're on a Zoom call with three other people, all significantly older and more experienced than you. Everyone's speaking slowly, confidently, without stumbling over words. Meanwhile, you're sitting there thinking, "I don't know what I'm doing. I don't belong here. How did I even get this job?"

That's exactly what happened to me during a recent work call, and it hit me like a truck. Welcome to imposter syndrome - that overwhelming feeling that you're a fraud who somehow fooled everyone into thinking you're qualified.

What Imposter Syndrome Actually Feels Like

According to WebMD, imposter syndrome is "when you doubt your own skills and successes, when you feel you're not as talented or worthy as others believe and you're scared one day, people will realize that too."

For me, it manifested as:

• Constant thoughts of "There's definitely someone better than me for this job"

• The fear that my comments wouldn't be taken seriously

• Feeling like I had to prove I belonged there

• Overthinking every word before I said it

• Ultimately staying silent except for nodding and saying "yeah, uh-huh"

The Age Factor (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

Being 24 in a room full of people in their 40s and up amplified everything. I felt like everyone was looking at me thinking, "Why is this kid here?" I was by far the youngest person on the call, and it showed - not just in my age, but in my confidence level.

But here's where things get interesting...

The Mindset Shift That Changed Everything

Halfway through feeling sorry for myself, I had a realization that completely flipped my perspective:

I made it to this room at a way younger age than they did.

Maybe instead of them wondering what I was doing there, they were wondering how I got there so young. Maybe they were thinking, "How did this kid make it to where we are before we did at his age?"

The Two Paths Forward

When imposter syndrome hits, you have two choices:

Path 1: Stay Silent and Confirm Your Fears

• Let self-doubt consume you

• Convince yourself others are more valuable

• Stay quiet and contribute nothing

• Watch as your negative thoughts become reality

This is exactly what I did for most of the call. I had something to say but pushed it back down, thinking my comment would be less valuable than everyone else's.

Path 2: Remember Why You're There

• Acknowledge that you earned your spot

• Recognize you were hired for a reason

• Decide to show why you belong rather than hide

• Take the risk of speaking up

The Moment Everything Changed

With about five minutes left on the call, I made a choice. I decided to speak up and share the comment I'd been holding back.

The response? Pretty much the same as mine had been earlier: "Right, uh-huh. Okay, yeah, cool."

Was it a groundbreaking comment that changed the course of the meeting? Probably not. But here's what mattered:

I did something I thought would be helpful to the conversation.

Whether it resonated with others wasn't up to me. You can't control how people react to what you say - you can only control whether you say it.

The Baseball Analogy That Stuck

After that call, I wrote down this thought that I plan to return to whenever imposter syndrome hits:

*"Why let the fear of striking out deter you from swinging? You're already at the plate. You have the choice to stand there and watch the ball go by, then head back to the bench with your head down - or you can take the swing.

You may miss every ball. You may say the wrong thing and add no value. There will be times when the crowd boos or people don't respond the way you hoped. But you left the plate knowing you swung. You said the thing you thought would be valuable.

And maybe, just maybe, the people on the call will actually learn something from you."*

Why Everyone Might Be Feeling This Way

Here's what helped me most: realizing that everyone probably experiences imposter syndrome at some point. Those confident-seeming people in their 40s? They might be wondering if their comments will be valuable too.

When you're all in the same room trying to add value, why compare? Why not just share what you think will be worthwhile and hope it helps?

Practical Steps for Next Time

Recognize the feeling: Imposter syndrome is normal and temporary Remember your worth: You're in the room for a reason, even if that reason isn't clear to you Reframe the situation: Instead of "I don't belong," try "I made it here younger than they did" Take the swing: Say the thing you think will add value, regardless of how others might react Learn from the experience: Each time gets easier as you build confidence

The Bottom Line

Imposter syndrome hits hardest when you're the youngest, least experienced person in the room. But being young isn't a disadvantage - it's often how you got there in the first place.

You're not an imposter. You're someone who achieved something earlier than most. The question isn't whether you belong - it's what you'll do now that you're there.

So next time you're in that room feeling like you don't belong, remember: you made it to the plate. Don't just watch the pitches go by. Take the swing.

Struggling with imposter syndrome in your career? Want to hear the full story and more insights? Listen to this complete episode on the Guyset podcast, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

For more honest conversations about career challenges and building confidence, reach out at josh@guyset.com or follow @theguyset and check out guyset.com.

I'm Josh, I'm 24 years old, and I'm here to find tips and advice on everything that should be talked about for guys in their 20s. 

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