How do you fight a dragon you can’t see?
“All I want is to do is grow my business, make a comfortable living, care for my family and contribute to the well-being of the world!” Those were common intentions of some small business owners gathered together at a marketing event to learning how to expand their businesses. The talent, wisdom, experience and expertise in that room would knock your socks off. These guys could not only live comfortably, they could live extravagantly; they could not only contribute to the well-being of the world; they could change it forever! Tragically, however, that was never going to happen. That was never going to happen because unbeknownst to them, the “Fraud Factor” had crept into the room and settled quietly, menacingly without anyone even noticing.
How do you fight a dragon that you can’t even see? How do you courageously combat a villain that you don’t even know exists? Had any one of these warriors known what was happening they would have fearlessly drawn their swords and given their life in battle. Had they known what was lurking in their midst they would have fought ‘till their death to take their lives back; but this war would be won by the enemy before it even began.
This philanthropic group of individuals would donate their time, money and talent to practically anyone who asked — they were already contributing to the well-being of the world in amazing ways. That part was handled. Where the adversary would take them out at the knees was when they talked about “making a comfortable living.” Charging a fair and equitable price for their services was where the Fraud Factor would slip stealthily into their thoughts rationalizing (telling “rational lies) that they were not enough. This voice would whisper “You are a fraud! You think you’re going to actually charge people for that incidental info of yours? You must have forgotten who you are because you’re not smart enough, fast enough or good enough. You don’t know enough, you’re not experienced enough; you don’t have enough expertise.” “It’s fine,” the voice continued, “if you want to give your services away, but people expect value they pay for it and you’re not that good. Keep your day job and you can do this on the side for free; that way people will like you, think you’re a nice guy and you won’t embarrass yourself.”
The Voice would go unexposed because it was now so ensconced in their lives, they didn’t question it. They thought it was the gospel truth already. What made it especially easy for the Fraud Factor to go unnoticed was that each of them were having those thoughts independently of one another and they took it personally. They thought it was about them and they thought they were the only ones that were “frauds.”
The lie would have been readily exposed had they known that everyone of them had that same Fraud Factor voice, saying those exact same phrases, having that same internal dialogue, sharing the same rote things over and over again. They would have found their freedom forever if they’d known that this insidious voice was nothing but a recorded message which repeated itself over and over again, impersonally, to every man and woman throughout history.
These courageous knights who would have died valiantly for their country, fought for their lives and stood bravely for the lives of others under this same duress (these business men and women who could transform their worlds, educate with insight, inspire unparalleled possibilities; these individuals who could easily bring their experience and wisdom to leverage a whole world of new learning), would never realize their potential, never live the outrageously adventurous life they longed for; never become the kings & queens of their own country and their quest for changing the world would be modest and mundane instead of gallant.
The Fraud Factor would have its way with them because they were so embroiled in the lie, they never once thought to challenge their thoughts with the sword easily accessible which would have casually asked: “Is it true?”
by Therese Kienast, Master Coach & Founder of Radical Leadership
Thank you so much for putting a name to the feelings so many bright capable people have that they are nothing but impostors, fakes, and frauds!
Indeed some of the most talented people on the planet have been plagued with these same feelings.
Fortunately there are steps people can take to unlearn old messages that reinforce the feeling that they are not enough.
But it all begins with understanding you are not alone — something your post has done brilliantly!
Dr. Valerie Young
ImpostorSyndrome.com
That drag-on is also called group think or “group stink” as I like to call it. If everyone in the room smelled like the same poop then it would not smell at all. It would be a room full of content people. That voice of “Fraud” is called a concience. Personally, it sounds catholic. (satiricaly speaking) It is not a matter of it being catholic, it is a matter of an “evil” or “negativity” that has dragged-on in the course of human history. It changes form almost immediately when we confront it internally or in others. It also has a twin sibling that is considered to be the right voice. That voice becomes silent if we listen to the voice of temptation that feeds human nature, the me me me me me voice, it tricks us into doing things for the wrong reasons and since it is invisible, only a hand full of people are made to combat it, almost like they are naturally selected to do so. They are the sword wielders and they keep the hope alive over human history to hopefully inspire the right handful of individuals to kill the group stink think of self distructive living while being conned into thinking it is positive and/or good choices and there is nothing wrong with it. That, in my opinion, is the “fraud” in us. It is a pyramid scheme of the dark forces of nature that gains from our ignorance. Regardless, this is an interesting article.
I strictly recommend not to hold off until you get enough amount of cash to order goods! You should just get the personal loans or just car loan and feel comfortable