How to turn imposter syndrome into your superpower with Christine Corcoran

Speaker A: Hello and welcome to this episode of the online course creator show. It's so good to have you here today. And I have a very special guest on today and I think you are going to love this episode. So the guest I have invited on the show today is Christine Corcoran. I think you're going to love this episode because it's about something that we all experience and that is imposter syndrome. Now I'm going to tell you a little bit about Christine before we dive straight into the interview. So Christine Corcoran is a high ticket sales strategist and business mindset master coach and she is also the number one best selling author of her new book called turn imposter syndrome into your superpower. She is the host of the podcast the next level Life and she delivers transformative coaching experiences that go above and beyond traditional sales approaches. Now Christine's work delves into the subconscious mind. She helps clients to overcome limiting beliefs, shatter self imposed barriers and supports them to build the six and multi six figure businesses of their dreams. I have experienced Christine's coaching firsthand and it is phenomenal. She is also a, ah, phenomenal speaker. So I'm very happy to have her on the show today. If you've ever experienced imposter syndrome before, this one's for you. So let's dive into the interview. Welcome Christine Corcoran to the online course creator show. It is so good to have you here today.

Speaker B: Thank you so much for having me. Finally we get to do this.

Speaker A: Yes, totally. We've been talking about this for a while. I want to start off by congratulating you for becoming a best selling author with your new book turn imposter syndrome into your superpower.

Speaker B: Thank you. I really appreciate that. It's been quite uh, a feat to bring it all to life and to even. I think I was telling you this a while back, like it feels even like uncomfortable even to acknowledge that that's actually happened. Uh, but it's something that I'm getting more comfortable with and it's super exciting for it to see the impact the book is having.

Speaker A: Yeah, so good. And like I just, I personally want to write a book one day so I feel like just having it done and out there would just feel so amazing as well.

Speaker B: Yes, you should totally do it. It's totally worth it.

Speaker A: Yeah, we might talk a little bit about the book writing process, um, later but I wanted to start off and really just dive straight into the topic of imposter syndrome because I feel like this is something that most people Experience a lot of. And one thing with online courses is, you know, we kind of like stepping into our uh, positioning ourselves as an expert to some degree in order to sell a course on it. Right? So that can really come up in the uh, with launching and creating an online course, like who am I to do this? And these are the thoughts that people quite often have. So I wanted to really dive into this topic today because I feel like it is such a big problem for the people listening to the show. So what are some signs that someone is experiencing imposter syndrome? What is it? What does it feel like? Walk me through it.

Speaker B: So literally what you just described is like the fear around us positioning ourselves as an expert and then being perceived that maybe we're not. And so it comes up as a fear based thought pattern in our minds where we're having the thoughts around like, am I good enough to do this? Am I an expert? Can I speak on this? Who do I think I am? People, um, are going to find out that I'm a fraud. Usually this very similar language patterns that majority of people have. And so it shows up as a fear based thought pattern. We have that and then we, our brains, then we respond to it and then we can either believe it to be true and then we usually play small. We usually prevent ourselves from putting ourselves out there, communicating our point of view, things like that, that then prevent us from showing up in the way that we truly want to show up in business. And that can impact us to not actually have the results that we truly want to have. Because when it comes to putting yourself out there and building trust and credibility, especially if you're creating an online course and wanting to sell it, you have to position yourself as someone to learn from. And so first things first, like when that word expert comes to mind, I feel like it's one of those first crutches that we experience of like, well, I'm not an expert. And we really want to just explore that firstly because at the first point it's actually our brain trying to protect us. It's our brain saying like, hang on, this is scary. This could potentially put us forward for judgment or rejection or any form of ostracize. Like, sorry, um, being ostracized from our circle or our peers judging us, like all of that can show up for us. And so we really just want to firstly address the term expert. What is an expert? What who deems someone to be an expert? And can we position ourselves in a way that is sharing our expertise? Because really that's what it is, an expert is someone who's sharing their expertise. And you could argue that an expert is someone that has explored a topic or has studied something, or has been an expert or executed on the action steps in that certain area of expertise for 10,000 hours. That can be true. But one of the biggest things you want to acknowledge is like for someone to be deemed an expert, uh, they have to have shared their expertise. So you are becoming an expert in the process of actioning what you're learning, right? And what your expertise is. So we want to be okay with and just question that thought based pattern and be like, is it okay that we can share and contribute in the process of becoming great at what we do as, uh, becoming an expert in our field? Because if you look at any expert, the only reason you know them to be an expert is because they've shown up and they've shared, they've spoken on that topic, they've educated on that topic, they have shared their expertise for a period of time. So that can't happen unless you start, you have to start somewhere, right? And so if, if you can just adjust that word. And I always come back to asking myself, rather than being an expert, it's like positioning yourself, almost like being boastful of like, well, I know everything. There is no one human being on this planet that knows absolutely everything about one topic that doesn't exist, right? There's always more to know. And so we want to just drop that expectation and ask yourself, is it okay, like, can I contribute in this concept, in this expertise? Can I contribute to this topic? And if the answer is yes, and you are able to, then it's up to you to be able to do that. So you want to be a part of that. And so that's actually one of the key things. The reason why I wanted to write a book on shifting the concept around imposter syndrome and the way that people view it was because so many experts were coming out and talking about overcoming imposter syndrome. And I said that in air quotes because it constantly was talked about in articles and books that have been previously written. When I did the research for the book, I was like, is this a new concept? Because with everything that we consume, it's like, I want to make sure this is my concept and so going to market with it. I wanted to be sure that, yes, this is something that I've developed. And so I did all the research and everyone talked about overcoming it. But the end of the day, imposter syndrome is not something that you overcome. It's not a disease that you have that you cure. It's actually just a phenomenon, a, uh, psychological phenomenon that we experience when we're stepping outside of our comfort zone, and it's something that we're going to continue to experience. It does not go away. And so in the book I share with you, quotes from really successful people that have achieved amazing things, have incredible talent and have incredible accolades and would calling themselves an expert or have been called an expert by other people, and they still experience it. So it's so important that we acknowledge that it's in the process of you developing your expertise and educating on that or teaching on it. You've got to start somewhere in order for you to get to that status. But also, if that's what trips you up first to get started, then start to ask yourself, can I contribute here? And if the answer is yes, it's up to you to do that.

Speaker A: Yeah, I love that. I feel like you just summed it all up so perfectly. Um, so what made you write a book specifically on this topic when, like, honestly, Christine is knowing you, You've got so many skill sets, right? Like, you're a mindset coach. You're an absolute gun when it comes to sales. So why did you choose to write a book on imposter syndrome? And specifically your, uh, philosophy, your unique philosophy, which I absolutely love, around imposter syndrome?

Speaker B: So it came about because I would see and hear so many women in business, and I save women because I work with women predominantly. And so in my experience of working with women over the last eight years, it kept coming up in conversations that people would talk about imposter syndrome being something that they have and that because of the reason they have that they cannot take action on the things that are important to them. They cannot go after their dreams. And for me, knowing mindset and understanding imposter syndrome, I was like, that's not true. Like, imposter syndrome is not this thing that you have, like, a disease that you can't cure. It's something that you experience, and it's a mindset block, but it's not something that should stop you. And so I wanted to change the narrative on imposter syndrome about, like. Like I said before, around, like, we can't. We don't overcome it because it's almost like a false pretense. If we put that out there and, like, you're going to overcome it. We have this false pretense that, like, okay, if I overcome it, then I won't have it. Ever again. But that's not true. And it's setting ourselves up to feel like we're failures if we continue to have it right. But if you are stepping outside your comfort zone. And the thing I want to say too is high achievers really do experiences as well. I wrote the book for high achievers. When I think about business owners and I think about people who are going after next level lives and extraordinary lives, they're going to experience it even more because they're taking the steps out of their comfort zone and they're going to experience it, they're going to put themselves out there more. And yet there is that underlying belief system around not feeling good enough. And so people do experience it, like everyone experience it. If you're human, you experience it. And so. But I just want to highlight that too as like high achievers sometimes think they don't experience it, but it actually shows up in really sneaky ways for them. And they don't think about it like imposter syndrome, even though it is imposter syndrome. And so we want to. So the reason why I started it, wrote it, was because I started actually having so many conversations with women in business and kept being like frustrated with like, no, that's not true. Stop letting that hold you back. It's not, it's not something that you have and that means that you can't do other things. It's something you experience and if you move through it, you can actually take the action and create an extraordinary life. And so it came out of a place of frustration and wanting to change the narrative. And then I started teaching masterclasses on it. So I started teaching in other communities and other business groups all about imposter syndrome. And it resonated with so much with so many people, the way that I reframed it to turn it into a superpower. And it just evolved from there. And then when I had a conversation, I actually wrote a completely different book. First I wrote a hundred thousand word book, which is very long if you think about writing a book. Don't start there. It was way too long. It was 100,000 words and a, uh, huge concept. And when I started looking for publishers and had publishing conversations, so many of them were like quoting crazy amounts of money to publish it because it was such a long book. But it was also. I had one conversation that was the turning point. And it was. I was at an event and had a conversation with this publisher and he, I told him about the book and he asked me, what was your goal with the Book. What do you want to achieve with this? And I spoke about wanting to make a bigger, uh, impact. I spoke about wanting to make a name for myself. I spoke about, you know, building credibility and trust. And he said to me, with where you're at in the stage of growth that you're at in business and your profile 100,000 word book is way too long. People are not going to read the whole thing. And so you need a more succinct concept that everyone can experience, that everyone will relate to, that will make sense and relate to who you are and who you want to be known as. And so I said to him, well, actually already have that concept. Uh, that's the concept of book two. And I told him the concept and he's like, that's it, you need to write that book. And so I left that conversation, got on a plane to head home and literally started writing the book then. And there took me a good six to six to eight months, I think it was, it took me to write it. Uh, and through that year was just a transformational year, uh, of me experiencing imposter syndrome again and again and again. Because I put it to the test because I wanted to make sure that what I was teaching really does work. And I, yeah, had such a phenomenal year and complete identity upgrade. But that's where it all came about was like the conversations that I was having with women and then also that publishing conversation and wanting to shift the narrative with imposter syndrome.

Speaker A: So what was the first book topic? Sorry, did I miss that?

Speaker B: So the first book topic is actually the 15 different self sabotaging behaviors that business owners do in the first five years of business. Ah, uh, yeah, that's out next.

Speaker A: Well, yes, self sabotage, also a massive topic. Um, actually though, like, does self sabotage come from imposter syndrome? Is there a connection there?

Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. So I actually had it as one of the 15, but I actually took it out now because I went back and looked at, I was like, I think I'll take it out because I've obviously written a book separately for imposter syndrome. Um, so I haven't reviewed the book to see if I'm going to. Most likely will publish it, but I haven't gone back over it to see, um, whether I will change anything there. But yes, it is definitely in relation to that because people often, that's their reaction to it. They learn self sabotage because of the fear of what putting themselves out there might mean. So they might have fear of success or they might have a Fear of the judgment or rejection. And so imposter syndrome will show up to protect them, and then they will self sabotage to keep themselves safe.

Speaker A: Yeah. So your whole thing is that instead of trying to overcome, uh, imposter syndrome, like it's some kind of, like, illness that we've got to heal ourselves from that instead, we actually need to embrace it, and it's like signposting that we're actually on the right path. Is that correct?

Speaker B: Yeah. Well, when we learn to use imposter syndrome as a growth tool, it can support an extraordinary life. And this is what I put into practice last year because I was like. And still do, because it was one of those things that I was like, I'm teaching this and I'm talking about this, and I see that, how it can work. And am I really putting all the tools into practice? And so I challenged myself last year to go out and find things that would induce the imposter syndrome. And when I think about those things, I knew that if I did those things, it would expand my business, it would expand my life, and it would grow me to beyond what I thought would be possible. And so when we learn to understand that imposter syndrome is going to show up, when you're stepping outside of your comfort zone, you're doing something you've never done before, whether that's launching a course, whether that's speaking about a topic that you're excited about but maybe don't feel fully qualified in just yet, whether you are pitching to go on a podcast or to speak in an event, whether you are asking for a promotion at work, if you're, if you're not in business, like, it does not matter. Whatever it is, those action steps that you could possibly take are going to expand you, and they're usually where the fear shows up. So we want to learn, firstly to accept it. It's normal part of the process. If you're stepping outside of your comfort zone, your brain goes into a state of fear in order for you to feel protected and to stay safe. Because ideally, imposter syndrome, or fear in general, would love for you to just not take any scary actions. Don't take any risks, Just stay home, watch Netflix. It's much more comfortable and safe. Right? But we know as humans that if we do that, we're not going to actually achieve the things that we want to achieve. We're not going to live the life we truly want to live. Because out there on the other side of fear is a really positive life. Right. And we want to Start to challenge ourselves more. And human beings really do want to grow. So we've got to be willing to step through that fear. So firstly, we want to expect it, that it's going to show up. And when we expect it, it's a different approach. So instead of going, oh my gosh, I have this fear, I'm not good enough, we stop to actually acknowledge, like, this is fear, this is normal part of the process. It's going to show up for me because this is something that I've never done before and it's uncomfortable. That's normal. So if we learn to first expect it, then the second step is learning to embrace the fear. The fear is part of growth. If you're choosing a life of growth, you're choosing fear. And we want to learn to apply certain tools that will support you in moving through the fear, not react to it and fall back into your comfort zone. So some of the things like that we can do is learn to one, pay attention to the arsenal that imposter syndrome uses to cause us to play safe. So it could be you're not, who are you to think you, you can do this, or you're not good enough to do that. Like, it'll usually use a similar, um, terms that shows up regularly for you, right? So if you think about something you've never done before and you think about something that will induce the imposter syndrome, what is the language that it uses to keep you playing small? When we expect that, we want to learn to flip the script on imposter syndrome and change the language that we use and start to challenge and question if that is even true. Right? Like, can I contribute to this? Yes, I can. Do I have to be an expert in this space? No, you don't. But you can absolutely contribute. And so challenging the thoughts that are coming up is really the first step. Then learning to transmute the feeling of, um, fear in your body is really key because otherwise your body can override your mind and then you can still be stuck in a state of anxiety or panic, right? And then you won't move through it. Whereas if we learn to identify the fact that it feels scary like our body, we, uh, usually have a response where we'll have like clammy hands or butterflies in our stomach or we'll have like the feeling of like something rising in your chest and you will have all those fear based thoughts that respond to that feeling in your body. And usually what we do is we hold our breath when we're in a state of fear. Whereas if we learn to use our breath to calm our nervous system and breathe through it, and then use more positive language in our mind to talk ourselves through and to support ourselves and be our own cheerleader, we can move through the fear to take the action anyway to create new proof that it's going to be safe. So to give you an example, last year I, uh, organized to go to America to attend three different events in America to challenge myself to get in rooms of really successful people. And in that, I knew I was completely out of my comfort zone. I had all the fears and doubts. I was like, am I going to even be able to contribute to the conversations? Am I going to be laughed out of the room? Are they going to think you're crazy? Flying all this way from Australia being in these rooms and thinking, who the hell are you? Like, I had all the fears and doubts. And through that experience of challenging myself to show up, to put my tools into practice, move through the fear, still contribute, still build great relationships and have conversations to the point where I got invited to speak on other stages. I've got invited to present and teach in other people's communities that I would perceive with my own, uh, in a mindset of, like, oh, they're way ahead of me. They're so much more successful. Uh, I don't have anything of value to add here. We still have all of those thoughts, but I challenge myself to do it anyway. And through those experiences, I now have the proof, my brain now has the evidence to be like, that's the type of person that I am, and I'm able to do that. And I didn't die right. Nothing bad happened. And I still had these experiences that have now shifted me. Because once you've expanded your mindset like that and expanded your identity and expanded your capacity, you cannot shrink back to what you were before. Your comfort zone has expanded to what you now feel comfortable doing. Now I feel totally comfortable to walk into rooms on the other side of the world and find and connect with people. And that is that being just so normal to what I do. So we want to learn to expect it, embrace it. And then once we know those tools and we can move through the fear, then if you wanted to, you could use imposter syndrome to grow you beyond your wildest dreams. And that's literally by asking yourself, what's one thing that I can do this week that will induce the imposter syndrome? And I guarantee you, that thing will feel stretchy, it'll feel uncomfortable, but it'll also grow you. And it'll expand you. So whether it's in your business or in your personal life, either way does not matter. It's usually the one thing that you've been avoiding. It's one thing that you, like, you know, you, deep down, you really want to do. But it feels uncomfortable and scary. But if you learn how to utilize the imposter syndrome, it can be something that will expand you for the better.

Speaker A: So imposter syndrome is really almost designed, it sounds like, to keep you in your comfort zone, to keep your. Yourself safe, all of that kind of stuff. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker B: Um, 100%. It's exactly what it's for.

Speaker A: Yeah. Which makes sense that, you know, we talk about how no matter what stage you're at, you still experience it. Like, you always see people who are hugely, hugely successful, and then they kind of like, share that they still experience imposter syndrome. But I. I guess that's because they're, uh, constantly seeking out that next level.

Speaker B: Yeah. And the goal posts are always moving. Right. So whether you're in business or whether you're in any other type of profession, when you have expanded yourself to a certain extent and you've created a new comfort zone, then you start to get bored to a certain extent. And then if you're someone that values growth, you then look for other things that will expand and grow you. So then you're going to experience it again. Now, when you're not searching out those opportunities, you don't experience the imposter syndrome. You just m. Don't. Right. Because you're comfortable. So in the book, like, I share a story around, um, Meryl Streep. Like, Meryl Streep still, she has this interviews you can find, where she talks about the fact that she still experiences imposter syndrome. And she has the mindset of, like me. Why would they want me? Why are they asking me to be a part of that movie? And all of us would look at that and go, are, uh, you joking? You're the goat. Like, of course they want you. Right. Yet she's like, but no, they wouldn't want me. Who would want to watch me in a movie do that type of role? Like, she's still having those doubtful thoughts. And so when I. Why I shared those. Because I shared multiple of those stories, is really acknowledging, like, no matter what. Because I think one of the things that keeps us stuck with this is we look to other people who are really successful and talented, who have the accolades, who have the recognition, and we look to them and go, oh, but if I had all of that, then I would believe that I'm worthy of it. Then I believe that I would be good enough. Then I would believe that I'm the expert if I was given that title. Right, we think that, but it's actually not the case unless you start to update your identity and start to challenge the way that your brain is working because at the moment it's causing you to play safe and stay stuck. Whereas if you actually acknowledge, like, hang on a minute, I've got to start to update that programming and start talking to myself by believing in the fact that I have value to add, that I have an expertise that I get to share, that I can be talented, I am talented and I can be talented and I, um, can also in the place of growth. So you're always in progress, right? And I'm sure that even with Meryl Streep, there's certain roles that she would choose that would design to stretch her because she's like, well, maybe I haven't actually explored this type of role and that's going to stretch me as an actor. Right. Does that make sense?

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: So there's ways that people are being, uh, stretching themselves. And so you could do that for yourself in other ways. Like it might not be like applying for an acting role, but it might be challenging yourself to go and create a new connection with someone that you feel is further along than you, that maybe you don't feel like you have value to add, but it's challenging that and being like, well, hang on a minute, maybe I can support that person, maybe I can, um, work with them. I remember having like experience of this myself a couple of years ago where I had a business owner reach out to work with me and she booked a discovery call. And I remember seeing like, as part of the discovery call, they fill in a questionnaire. And I went through that questionnaire and she was a million dollar business owner and incredibly successful. Had been in business longer than I had at that time. And I remember reading that going, why would she want to work with me? I had thinking, there's no way I wouldn't have any value to add for her. Like, she's way ahead of me. She's been in business longer, she's making more money than me. She was doing like all the incredible things. And I'm like, why would she want to work with me and what I did in that point in time? And I was like, don't judge a book by its cover. Don't go in there with you. Don't have all the information yet. So I was like, don't get stuck in the imposter syndrome. Go into that conversation and find out out what she's really needing. And when I did that, everything that she came to me with, I could help her with. And so instead of, I could have actually canceled that call, I could have been like, no, no, no, I can't help you. You don't need me. Like, you could, I could have been stuck in that imposter syndrome. Right. Instead I was like, no, no, no, I'm going to acknowledge what I bring to the table, acknowledge, ah, what my skill set is and be open to the conversation, stayed in that conversation, acknowledge what she needed. And then we absolutely worked together. And she was amazing. I loved working with her and I was able to help her no matter what because even though she was at that stage of business, she was still experiencing imposter syndrome. She was still experiencing all the different doubts and fears that come up as a business owner. Uh, she was still needing to work on her sales strategy. Like, there was still all the things that I could help with, was still showing up for her at that level. But I could have sabotaged that by listening to the imposter syndrome, but I chose not to. So when you learn to work with the tools, you can work through it rather than just stop and then revert back to your comfort zone.

Speaker A: Yeah, it's almost like not letting your ego get in the way. Uh, in a sense, isn't it like thinking about what you can add and what you can contribute to anyone rather than coming at it from this limited world.

Speaker B: And even as women, I think, even as women, I think that we downplay an. Almost like we're self deprecating. Right. So even. It's like when people ask you, like, uh, even in my containers, I ask people like to share their wins. And a lot of the time people like, oh, just I just did this or it's this, but it's not that. So we often like, downplay our successes and that's a real problem that actually perpetuates more of the imposter syndrome when we're not acknowledging our wins and we're not adapting, not adapting, we're not attributing the achievements that we've had and what we've been able to do to who we are as people. And so when we learn to do that, we can then upgrade our own identity because otherwise we're just living from the past and we're just thinking like, oh, uh, who am I? But like who are you not to? If you have the skill set and you can help someone, who are you not to? So acknowledging what you bring to the table, because I think we do that pedestal thing, whereas we put other people on pedestals and think that they're so amazing and we're just down here and we don't have anything to add a value. But you do. You absolutely do. And you need to acknowledge that for yourself because no one else is going to do that. You've got to acknowledge that. And so by doing that I really, I stopped and was like, well, hang on a minute, maybe she needs mindset work and maybe there's some areas there that I can help her with and maybe there's some sales work that we could work on. And so I was like, I don't know all the information yet, I'm going to have that conversation first. And with that conversation I was like 100% I can help you. All of that. So it's again, if I didn't have that confidence within myself in order to acknowledge what my skillset and talents were, I could have completely downgraded all of that and just gone, no, I can't help you. But that's not going to serve anybody. She would still be stuck in the same problems.

Speaker A: And like, who do those people go to? M Because it's not like everyone's at the same level as well.

Speaker B: Exactly, yeah. So even just acknowledging that too, like if you're creating a course, like you want to acknowledge that it's going to help someone and you've got to own, uh, and be confident in what it is that you're delivering in order for people to believe in it. And you've got to believe that it's actually going to be valuable before anybody else will. And so if you're doubting yourself by getting stuck. Yeah, you've got getting stuck and thinking, oh, I'm not an expert, you've got to come back. What are the talents that you have, what is the experience, everything you've overcome in the past, all that you're bringing to that course, somebody's really going to need that and it's going to impact someone in a really positive way. But if you don't create it and if you don't promote it, it's not going to change anyone's lives. So you've got to back yourself. Mhm.

Speaker A: I mean, I think that the launching a course, particularly the launching process, it just brings up imposter syndrome a lot more than like other situations. I feel like, um, have you, because you are a seasoned course creator and someone who does a lot of launches themselves. Have you ever. Have you experienced imposter syndrome specifically when it comes to launching? I'd love to hear about that.

Speaker B: A hundred percent. Oh my gosh. Every single time. It's like an emotional rollercoaster launching anything. And I think I've gotten much better at not listening to the thoughts because early on I would ghost my launch or I would sabotage the launch, or I would listen to my thoughts being like, oh, you've talked about this enough. Stop talking about it. You're annoying people. Uh, you don't really know what you're talking about. Is this going to actually deliver anything? Like, when I first launched one of my first group courses, I was so, like, blind to like, I was like, just give it a go. You just don't know. And even then, like that first, even couple of groups like, uh, programs that I created, uh, it's the hardest thing, I guess, when you're creating something from scratch that you haven't seen the results that it can have and the impact that it can have. So it can feel really uncomfortable to sell it because it's like, well, what am I promising and what am I confident in when it says what I'm bringing to the market? Like, what's this actually going to do for people without actually seeing the results it can have? And so that was really uncomfortable and I had to like, really work on, like, what am I, what do I feel in integrity with when I. When it comes to what I want to share and what I wanted to promise because I didn't want to be back then, when I was doing this in early stages of my business in the coaching industry, there was a lot of, like, how do I say this? Like, people promising shit that I knew they weren't delivering. Yeah. And people prom, like over promising and under delivering. And I didn't want to be that type of coach. I didn't want to be someone that was like, oh, I'm going to give you the world. I'm going to help you make 10k in a week. Like, that was just like, ridiculous. So I was like, that's not what I feel comfortable promising. And so I had to get really clear on what I did want to promise and feel confident in going out and marketing that. And it's imposter syndrome can show up a lot when it comes to the sales element. A lot. Like so much when it comes to promoting whatever it is that you have, because you do have to position yourself as the Expert. You do have to position yourself as someone to learn from. M. And again, that was coming through, like, how do I. Who would I want to say that I am? And what title do I want to apply to myself? And I remember, like, going through when I shifted to, uh, creating a sales program, because previously before my sales program, I was doing a money mindset program and I did another group business mastermind. Uh, and then when I shifted to sales, I had imposters in a shop a lot. I was like, who am I to talk on sales? And I had to stop, but actually go, well, hang on. You were in. In sales and business development for a global retail brand for six and a half years before you even started your business. So I had to, like, check myself getting them for a moment, right? And be like, you do have a lot of value to add here. And you can teach people. You were teaching sales teams, like, of course you can help in this situation. And so when I went to launch that program, I literally wrote a list and I teach this in the book, wrote a list of all the things that would bolster my belief in going to market with this offer. Because I needed to believe in what I had to deliver was a value. Because otherwise you would come across really uncertain and I would be anxious and I would be fearful, and I needed to own, um, that space to feel confident in being able to promote it. Because I know how much confidence feeds into people's trust. And so if you're sharing your offer, but you're coming across from a place of uncertainty or fear, people can feel the fear above what you're saying. So it's so important that you're coming across with confidence. So I had to find the right words that felt in integrity for me to share and then had to just get uncomfortable, um, with it and just do it anyway. And so that's when I then learned to, like, stop listening to the voices of the. Of the launch chatter that happens. And to be like, no, no. Like, one of my favorite things I used to say to myself all the time of, like, it's not over until the sexy lady sings. And I was like, I'm no longer going to ghost my launch. I know that people sit in the most emotional resistance in that last week to doors closing. And you have to show up with confidence and you have to show up with conviction in order for people to trust in order to convert. So I got really confident in being like, I'm going to show up no matter what. I'm going to do all the things I'M going to learn, I'm going to pivot, I'm going to adapt in order to give the best option for people to make the right choice. And I also would always ask myself, like, do the things, I would say to myself, like, do. Do the things that would make you proud, that at the end of the launch that you could look back and do your debrief and be like, I'm really happy with how I showed up. I'm really happy with the things that I can control because you can't always control the outcome, but I can control in the way that I show up and take the action and do the lives and jump on stories and communicate and educate and do all the things that if I didn't have that, then you've got nothing else to fall back on because you've got to be proud of you. Without that, like, you won't get up and try again. And there's always going to be failures in businesses, always going to be launches that suck and that flop and that you feel like you ghosted. Like, there's always, that's going to happen. But if you can get to the end of it and be like, I'm actually really proud of how I showed up, that's really something that can support you to move forward.

Speaker A: Yeah, totally. I love that. Um, I once had a launch where I had no one to sign up until the last day, but they signed up and I ended the launch and it was like, oh my God, I so knew. Like, I just wanted to have that feeling of, I know I left it all on the table. Like, I know that I did everything in my power and if it still doesn't work at the end of that, then so be it. Right. You know that you did everything you could. And I think that's so much more, um, powerful, regardless of the results than kind of half assing a launch or ghosting. Like, I think that's something. I know I've done it.

Speaker B: Um, you need the data to learn from it.

Speaker A: Yeah. And, um, it's something that clients, especially ones who have launched, who will come and work with me, they've already launched, but they will say, you know, I do keep ghosting in my launches and I think it's like a bit of self protection in a way that 100%. Yeah. Like if I don't try, then of course it's not going to work. And then it's almost like making themselves feel a little bit better.

Speaker B: Yeah. Let themselves off the hook a little bit.

Speaker A: For sure.

Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But at the end of the day, like, that doesn't make you proud of yourself. So that's why I always read that, because it's like if you, if you're doing everything you possibly can, and I think as well, it's also the way that you frame failure. Because every single successful person who is making millions from their courses has had a failed launch.

Speaker A: M. Totally.

Speaker B: If you haven't had a failed launch, you're not on the, on the path. That's the way I look at it.

Speaker A: Yeah. Like you're not even in the arena.

Speaker B: Exactly.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: And so if you can acknowledge, like, you've got to cheer yourself on, you've got to, you've got to get all the data from that launch to see what worked and what didn't work. And there's so many, like, Evolutions, I, I believe in, like, launching. That there's so many evolutions that you go through from your first launch is often like just learning the launch process. Yeah, Right. The next one is like really fine tuning your statement of promise. The really fine tuning the impact that you can have and the results that you can actually promise and then going out to market and trying new things. Sometimes it's also testing different sales systems. Like, there's so many Evolutions. And I think that then you get to a point of like, then once you are, uh, seasoned in launching, you can be so much more confident. The way that you show up, you can test and measure so many different things and not make it mean something that that sucks or that it's a failure. So if you, if you go straight to, oh, well, that didn't work, so it must be me or it must be because everything sucks and I should just cancel everything and burn it all down. You're not in business. Like, you've got to really look at it as, this is a test and I've got to measure it and then I've got to try again because the only way that you're going to get better at it, and I've seen this happen with so many people. I'm sure you have as well, where they're like, oh, well, that didn't work. So I'm just going to cancel that whole course and I'll just try something completely different.

Speaker A: It's like, no, learn from it so much.

Speaker B: Yeah, learn from it. Because it could be a small little messaging tweak. It could be like, I had a client that actually was launching in the wrong period of time for her ideal client. She's focuses mainly on the American audiences and she was launching in summer, but the first week of summer I'm like, no, that's the worst time to launch for them. They're out. They checked out. Right. We'd be lucky in Australia launching like the last week of December. Like, yeah. So acknowledging that there's so many lessons that you're going to learn through the process of launching and if you can just allow yourself to be the beginner and like, learn through it rather than have such high expectations. And I think the social media ruins it for people because it builds up expectations like, oh, I'm gonna have 100k launch and the first time I launch, like that. No, like, unless M. Yeah.

Speaker A: What's an audience of like 500 people?

Speaker B: Exactly. It's not like, uh, unless you've got millions and millions of people who have been primed to be ready to buy that specific offer. It's unlikely. There might be miracles here, there and everywhere, but it's unlikely. So stop setting that as the expectation and allow yourself to, like, learn the process and get better at launching model. Because it's a whole other arm, um, of business.

Speaker A: Yeah. So I guess there's people who. The imposter syndrome is so large that they never actually launch. And I feel like that's a huge shame. Um, I do believe that imposter syndrome for a lot of people is the reason why they never launch. Because a lot of people are interested in launching, but they will never do that first launch.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: What would you say to that person?

Speaker B: So I would explore some of the deeper belief systems that are perpetuating that imposter syndrome. Because if it's going to the extent where you're not willing to take action, to experience that action, to learn from that action, because, you know, if you're going to achieve the results that you want to achieve, you have to take action. Like, you have to. So if you're not even willing to give it a go, we want to actually unlock what's causing that because that's a huge state of fear and it's most likely stemming from a deeper belief system of not feeling good enough. That's usually what it comes back to. Um, we all like the imposter syndrome language is around like, not being good enough, but usually it's a deeper, uh, like belief system that's attached to their identity of like, not being good enough right from childhood. So we want to actually explore that to a certain extent to then shift that, to then feel comfortable to take action. And that can often is really relates to as well having a fixed Mindset. So having a fixed mindset is like believing that it is what it is and you can't change it. Whereas you're always evolving as a human and you can change your mindset, you can do things differently instead of just sticking with like, well, that's just the way I am. Well, it's not, that's not true. You're always evolving and growing. You're just not choosing in the direction you want to grow. And so I would look at the deeper belief systems that are possibly causing that, that self sabotage.

Speaker A: Yeah, I love that. And that's obviously stuff that you can help people with. Um, I have one more question, one more question before we finish up. So in your book you talk, um, a bit, quite a lot actually, about identity. What is the connection between imposter syndrome and your identity? And what is, what does it even mean? What is identity?

Speaker B: So our identity is our subconscious mind has built up a, basically a, uh, Persona of who we believe we are. And that's filled with everything from your education, your upbringing, your belief systems about your family unit, your memories, your all your experiences of life, your faith, your religion, everything that basically makes up who you are, things that people have even said about you. So maybe you had said by a teacher in high school that you were not good at math. It then becomes attached to who you believe you are. And so we as human beings take action in relation to our identity. So we're always acting in accordance with who we believe we are. So if we believe that we're innately not good enough, we will keep taking action from that place. Whereas if we believe that we're talented or we believe we're a problem solver, we believe that we're an action taker, we will act in accordance with that belief. And so when we have a deep seated belief system and have not been good enough, then imposter syndrome does show up a lot more. But it shows up in other ways as well. So it could believe like, oh, I'm just lucky that things just happen for me. Again, part of your identity. So we want to acknowledge, like, who we believe we currently are. And what often happens is we, when we think about where we want to go and the next level of results that we want to achieve for ourselves and for our business. Business is like the biggest personal development journey. So we're always evolving and yet we can often keep staying stuck in creating similar results or circling around the same impact or results that we're creating in our, based on our identity beliefs. So if we're not Updating those identity beliefs, we're going to continue to create the same results from the past, right? So we're all. Our brain literally is living from the past. So when we're stepping into doing something we've never done before, our brain, in a millisecond, looks back at every past experience that we've had and goes, is this safe? Have we done this before? Is this safe? Is this comfortable? What information do I have from the past that I can be certain of that if I take this action, I know what the outcome will be? And so if we don't have any of those experiences in the past, our brain goes, oh, this is dangerous. Don't do it. And then poster syndrome kicks in, right? Whereas m. If we acknowledge that the things that we want to achieve means that we're going to have to do things we've never done before, we recognize that we don't have proof that we're going to have to create it. So we need to start updating our experiences and our reference points for our brain to be like, oh, this is now who I am becoming. This is now who I am. And so to give you an example of, like, what I spoke about earlier around going to America to those events, now I can say to myself, like, because I've taken the time to actually acknowledge that within myself that this is the type of person that I am, I travel to the other side of the world to be in rooms of incredibly successful people. I feel comfortable and I feel like I belong there. Now, the first event that I attended, I did not feel that right? I was in the room and I was like, I do not belong here. Who the hell do I think I am? And I had all the imposters driven thoughts, but I stayed. And that's. I think the key is, like, you've got to stay to create those new reference points. And then the second event, I felt a little bit more comfortable. I still had imposter syndrome, but I felt a little bit more comfortable and I contributed more. And I had different moments throughout that second event that made me feel again like I belonged because I took the time to update my identity. So to give you an example of what I did, there were three different conversations that I had at that second event that I took the moment to acknowledge what I brought to the table. So one of the conversations was with a, uh, marketing agency owner. And he'd been in business, I think, 15, 16 years or something like that. And up until that point, I think I was in. I was only seven years in And I was having this conversation with him, and we're doing masterminding sessions, and basically he shared the challenge that he was experiencing in business. And I gave my advice and I said, if I, if I was you, this is what I would go and do. And he stopped. And he's looked at me and he's like, we've had six sessions today with different groups, and that's the best advice that I've received all day. And he was a multimillionaire with a massive team. Like, I was like, really? That's awesome. Um, and I'm like, wow. And so I took a moment after that conversation concluded, and I took a moment, I was like, see? You do belong here. You do have value to add. And so I was learning to update my identity by just acknowledging that within myself. Because often we don't do that. We often just keep moving to the next thing. The next thing, the next thing, right. We set new goals. We go after the next thing instead of stopping and going, well, hang on a minute. How did I make that happen? Because there's something that you did that you have within yourself that if you acknowledge that, you can attribute that to who you are as a person, and then your identity upgrades, and then the old identity starts to evolve, to dissolve and move away. Right. You're no longer that person. Like, I used to identify as being a people pleaser. There's no way I'm that anymore.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Yeah, right. Because you've identified the behaviors that you were doing, and you no longer do those behaviors. And now you're the person that sets really clear boundaries, and you acknowledge, and you acknowledge yourself.

Speaker A: Right?

Speaker B: So you can. Absolutely. You're always evolving. So if you want to update your identity, you want to think about who you want to be, and the person that takes that action, that gets the results at that next level, and they go, who is that person that I need to become? And in the evolution of being that, you need to take the action and update your identity. So there was that conversation that I had. And then later in that evening, I had a moment where, uh, one of my mentors asked me. He was talking about how, like, thank you so much for flying all this way. He was so lovely. And he said, how can I help you? What do you need right now? And previously, my old behavior would have been, oh, nothing. No, you've already helped me. Don't worry. No, no, no, I, I, I'm thanking you. Like, I would have just gushed, right? It would have been just like, no, no, no, no. And would have people. But in that moment I stopped and was like one, thank you so much. Appreciate everything you've done for me so far and if you would be so gracious. And I shared an ask and he was like, of course I can help you with that. That's amazing. Yes. Let me find some people that I can connect you with. It'll be perfect for that. And after that, again I stopped myself and was like, wow, look at you. Like you took a moment, you actually stood in that confidence. You didn't appease, you didn't play it down, you didn't like walk away from that interaction. Because previously I would have run. I literally would have run. That would have been so scary. It would have been like, no, no, no, no, you can't do anything for me. La la la, just keep the peace, like run away. And in that moment I was like, no, you stood your ground. You asked for what you wanted, you communicated clearly and you got a great result. This is now what life gets to be. And so I took that moment to really update my identity there and so, and even like being a published author now, like that felt really uncomfortable to say out loud. I'm like, oh my God, I'm a published author. And then the best selling author, like, holy crap. That was really uncomfortable. Even at one of my events that I ran the book launch, my friend who interviewed me, she, she introduced me as a best selling author and I was so uncomfortable. I watched back at that video now and I cringe hardcore.

Speaker A: Is that the one on Brisbane?

Speaker B: Yeah. Do you remember? I laughed about it awkwardly. I was like, oh. Like I uh, literally was like trying to deflect, deflect all the attention from me. I couldn't even own that even though it was true. And that was because I hadn't updated my identity yet. It didn't feel comfortable. I've only looked at it like this separate thing that was outside of me, that wasn't truly who I was because it was new. Whereas now I can confidently say I'm a best selling author because it's true. Yeah, I've updated it.

Speaker A: I do remember that event, you telling that story about how you hit the bestseller, um, list and then you didn't go and share it on socials at all. And you actually had your friends like messaging you saying, get on stories, share this. And it still took you a while to share it. Whereas now what was that like two months ago?

Speaker B: Yeah. Ah.

Speaker A: And now you're like, this is uh, it like I'm a bestselling author. So that's like two months and you've stepped into that new.

Speaker B: Yeah. And it came from the repetition of taking the action and saying it out loud.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Right. So acknowledging it within myself that it's true. I'm not lying. Like, it's actually true. It actually happened. And because it felt really uncomfortable, like, this can't be true. Like, I had so much doubt around it. And then I was like, now I've got to start saying it. Like, I believe it. And so it was that repetition. And then I went to the next event. I remember watching back that video and was like, that's not the way that I want to show up. Like, that's not confident. That's. That was. I felt cringe, like absolute cringe. And so then the next event and I spoke about it, I was like, still felt really uncomfortable with it and felt a little bit awkward with it, but I was like, no, it's time to own it. And then it wasn't until the third event that I actually. My friend who interviewed me there, she did the same thing. And I was like, thank you. I really appreciate it. And I was learning to accept it. So it was like a level of, like, acceptance, but also receiving it. Yeah, yeah, it was. It was really fascinating journey, I think, then. And it's one of those things that, like, it can be quick because it depends on the level of, um, accolade or level of thing that you want to identify with. It's like the more that you do it. And so even when I started calling myself a sales strategist, even though I had been doing it for years, I just hadn't called myself that. It was like that label felt uncomfortable for a good period of time before. Now it's like, of course that's what I am.

Speaker A: Sounds like saying it out loud would actually be a really good way to, uh, kind of like calibrate to that next level very quickly. Yeah. Oh, that's so good, Christine. I've absolutely loved talking, um, on imposter syndrome. I love the philosophy around about basically embracing it. I think that's so much better than trying to get rid of it or get over it, because in reality, that's never really going to happen. Yeah.

Speaker B: Judging that part of ourselves doesn't help either. Like, you will end up keeping it because you're judging it and making it a bad thing, whereas it's actually just a little bit of self protection. So when you embrace it and then you can move through it, then you can turn it into a superpower.

Speaker A: Yeah, so true. So for those listening, where can they find you and where can they get your book?

Speaker B: So I hang up most on Instagram. You'll find me at Christine Corcoran, underscore coach. My website is my name.com au and I'm on all platforms. But yeah, I mainly hang out on Instagram. Uh, and you'll find my book all main retailers easiest, uh, and quickest to get you get it to your house would be through Amazon and it'll be on audible really soon. I'm in the process of getting that recorded, so it'll uh, be on audible really soon. But at the moment, yeah, if you want to grab it quick will be through Amazon.

Speaker A: Amazing. Okay, I'm going to share all those links in the show notes for those listening, so you can just cruise along there and, um, find what you're looking for. But thank you so much, Christine. Um, it's really great to have you on.

Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you for your great questions. It was super fun.

Speaker A: Yeah, cool. Okay, bye for now. Thanks. Course creators and go getters. You're incredible and I, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. If you haven't done so already, make sure you hit subscribe in your podcast app so you don't miss an episode. If you'd like to find out more about what I offer, head across to loublakely. Com. See you next time.