Steve Buscemi.  An American icon.  Mr. Pink in “Reservoir Dogs”.  Donny in “The Big Lebowski”.  Carl, of wood-chipper fame, in “Fargo”.  The list of unforgettable characters goes on and on.  But this brilliant actor struggled mightily with confidence early in his career.

The Life of An “Imposter”

Steve wasn’t born into a charmed life.  He was raised in Brooklyn as the son of a sanitation worker.  He struggled in school and eventually became a firefighter in New York.  He day-dreamed of acting but didn’t think he could fit in.  After all, nobody ever confused him with Tom Cruise.

Even after he landed a few small acting roles, he chalked it up to beginner’s luck.  How could this possibly last?  When will they discover that I just don’t have what it takes?

But a slight change in mindset was all he needed.  He worked hard and had talent.  Why not him?

Success finally came my way when I got over the fear that I didn’t belong. –Steve Buscemi

Steve Buscemi suffered from a classic case of Impostor Syndrome.  This clinical condition strikes high-achieving individuals in all professions.  It is marked by an inability to internalize accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.   And all too often, Imposter Syndrome can bubble up in all of our lives.

We Can’t be Intimidated

We aren’t always going to have the most experience or the best pedigree in our careers.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t achieve major success!

The young coach who finally has the opportunity to lead.  The scrappy salesperson who lands his first management role.  The seasoned veteran who switches careers.  The  loyal employee who boldly strikes out to start his or her own business.  It can be incredibly intimidating to step into a role in which we have limited experience.  And even if we achieve early success, we may feel as if it will slip away at any moment.

But how can we lead our teams to victory if we don’t feel worthy of our role?  We must realize that if we have earned a small degree of success, we have earned the right to maximize that success.  What we lack in experience, we can make up for with pure hustle.  What we lack in education, we can make up for with strong relationships.  What we lack in management skills, we can make up for with sheer passion.

We May Stumble, But We Still Belong!

We must silence the voice that chides us that we don’t belong.  We must stop waiting for our “house of cards” to crumble.  Through hard work and grit, we have earned our seat at the table.  We have earned our right to long-term success!

But what happens if we stumble along the way?  We go on a losing streak.  Our sales dry up.  Our company starts to crumble.  All of a sudden, that voice inside our head gains credence.  It was only a matter of time.  Perhaps we never deserved our success in the first place?  Nonsense!

Nobody has a moonshot trajectory to the top.  Life is not a linear journey.  The most successful people have turned their greatest failures into their most remarkable accomplishments.  If anything, our setbacks and challenges now prove that we belong!  Welcome to the club!

Adversity Will Sharpen Our Resolve!

In order to move forward, we must respond with action.  We must respond with confidence.  Adversity must sharpen (not weaken) our resolve!  Steve Buscemi finally realized that he not only belonged, but that he had a unique talent to share with the world.  And so do all of us.

We cannot shy away from our dreams.  We cannot take our foot off the pedal.  We cannot play small.  We have worked hard and we have talent.  We are not imposters.  Who deserves success more than us?  Let’s go make it happen.

Until next week, keep smiling!