As yoga teachers, we sometimes doubt our ability to adequately share the practice. We worry that we are not strong enough, flexible enough, spiritual enough, articulate enough, wise enough, popular enough, creative enough, or [fill in the blank] enough to share what we know. Yet for some of us these doubts are great enough to call it imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is the belief that we cannot or are not worthy of the role. It is a persistent and overwhelming fear that is usually accompanied by a persistent and debilitating suspicion that we hold the title illegitimately and do not have the requisite qualifications.
I have known teachers who spent hours worrying about every detail of the lesson. I have witnessed students with years of experience and training not considering themselves “good enough” to lead the class. I’ve heard teachers talk about feeling so overwhelmed with anxiety before and during class that they barely paid attention to their own experiences, let alone those of their students.
Imposter syndrome can cause a person to become so obsessed with pleasing or being perfect, yet so insecure about their ability to do so, that they become stuck in procrastination or self-blame, or both. Clearly, this is not a desirable or sustainable state to live in, let alone learn from. And there is a need to explore and understand why we experience these thoughts that are beyond the scope of an article.
But before any of us decide to give up teaching or become resigned to leading the classroom through heart palpitations and cold sweats, consider whether there are aspects of imposter syndrome that could be reframed as a superpower.
How to reframe imposter syndrome
If there is a secret benefit to imposter syndrome, it is the realization that your ability to teach yoga does not depend on your confidence in yourself or your abilities. Yoga doesn’t care if you are strong enough, flexible enough, spiritual enough, articulate enough, wise enough, or popular enough. It’s just about continuing to show up for others with knowledge, appropriate training, and an open heart and mind.
If you can reframe your fears, there may be specific ways that understanding feelings of self-doubt can lead you to become a more respectful, better prepared, more authentic, and more compassionate teacher.
Here’s how you can potentially rethink the uncomfortable feeling of not being enough that comes with imposter syndrome.
1. It can remind you how much you appreciate the practice
Imposter syndrome essentially boils down to the question, “What makes me think I’m good enough to share this incredible thing with others?”
Instead of getting hung up on the first part (“Am I good enough?”), what if you shift your focus to the second part (“I get to share this incredible thing!”).
When you keep your focus on the practice itself, you can remind yourself of what inspired you to want to teach in the first place. This practice has likely changed your life by changing the way you think, feel, and move through your day. Of course you want to share that with others, so that they can benefit from it too!
The very fact that you doubt your ability to do this is probably a testament to the profound effect your practice has had on you and the respect you have for it. So let that respect be your guide. Focus on the tools and techniques you find most useful, and consider sharing the what, why, and how with your students. In other words, put the practice, not yourself, at the center of your thoughts.
2. It can encourage you to learn more
Yes, you need to read, study, practice and prepare for class. But despite your hours of study and practice, imposter syndrome whispers that you are inadequate – that your knowledge, skills and experiences are insufficient for the role of teacher and that you must come up with entirely unique and perfect experiences for students.
What if you listened to those whispers, but used them to take action instead of fear?
Instead of letting uncertainty hold you back, use it to continually read and research. As a student, use it to continue learning from your own practice, both from other teachers and from ongoing training. Write down what you respond to, what challenges and inspires you, and share it with your students. Create simple sequences that you know in your bones and teach them to your friends, your dog, or your coffee table to practice holding teacher space. There is power in the clarity of intention and simplicity in execution.
There’s a reason why the best teachers are also lifelong students.
3. It can remind you and your students that it’s okay to be human
Some students respond to trust. They may be attracted to teachers who own the space and provide instructions without hesitation. If your experience with imposter syndrome means it’s not you, that’s okay. There are plenty of students who are attracted to teachers who may show up calmly, who think before they speak, who recognize their own shortcomings and in doing so create an example for students to do the same.
Sharing that you find a position or exercise difficult or that you struggle with your balance can be just what students need to feel seen, safe and accepted in your classroom.
But everything can go too far. Just as an overconfident teacher can be a turn-off, so can an subconscious teacher. Taking 10 minutes of class to apologize for saying “elbow” instead of “wrist” will not help anyone and will only distract students from their own experience. Still, recognizing your limitations within reason can be a game changer – and not just for you.
4. It can push you to put your students’ experience above your own
Let’s get back to the idea that imposter syndrome screams at you over and over again that you’re not good enough to share this incredible practice with others. Just as centering yoga, rather than yourself, in your thoughts can help you create the perspective you need to teach without overwhelming fear, so too can you focus on your students’ experiences rather than your own.
Imposter syndrome tells you that you are nobody. What if you playfully flip the script? If you’re not the central figure in your students’ practice, who cares if your hands are shaking or your mouth feels dry?
Instead, focus your attention on your students. Do they have the props they need? Are you speaking loud enough for them to hear you or are they looking around the room in confusion?
When it no longer matters whether or not you are perceived as a “good” teacher, the teaching experience becomes all about being present for your students and attentive to their needs. And ultimately, isn’t that the kind of teacher your students deserve?
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