E46: The "Ready Now" Mindset: Moving Beyond Imposter Syndrome and Into Alignment & Purpose

Let’s talk about opportunity — and the inner voice that sometimes makes us hesitate. You’ve probably felt it. That flicker of Am I really ready for this? The voice that questions you even when your resume, results, and relationships all say yes, you are.

That’s the quiet power of imposter syndrome: it convinces you that you’re about to be "found out" — in spite of everything you’ve achieved. Degrees. Experience. Accolades. None of it seems to matter in that moment. And here’s the hard truth: no pep talk can fully silence that voice. No affirmation or motivational meme can erase it overnight.

👉 What does work? Taking action, one day at a time. Stepping forward anyway. Letting experience, not self-doubt, write the next chapter.

I subscribe to the Ready Now approach. That means:

✅ When an opportunity arises, I ask myself Is this aligned with who I am and where I’m going? (and not Am I good enough?)

✅ Yes, I feel that moment of doubt — I'd be crazy not to. But it passes. I recognize that the invitation to do more, or to speak publicly is a compliment and recognition that I am not an imposter at all.

✅ The key is asking the right questions of the opportunity itself, not questioning your worth. Ask what is the job to be done? What does success look like? Can I do that job and create success if imposter syndrome wasn't in the way? That answer will be yes more often than no!

Imposter syndrome isn’t about saying no because you can’t do it — even when everyone knows you can. Saying no should be about alignment. Is this opportunity right for you, for your purpose, for your path? Does this stage, this organization, this topic fit the impact you want to have?

When you examine your opportunities for alignment — for shared purpose — that’s when the clarity comes. That’s when you can say yes, yes, yes and get to work.

✨ Here’s the audacious truth: You don’t have to feel 100% ready to start. You have to feel aligned. The readiness comes in the doing.

This mindset isn’t just about personal confidence — it’s what today’s organizations are looking for. In fact, a 2021 Development Dimensions International (DDI) Global Leadership Forecast (data collected in 2020) found that only 11% of organizations believe they have a strong bench of "ready now" leaders to step into critical roles, yet 86% say building this bench is a top priority (DDI, 2021). Leaders want teams and managers who are prepared to act decisively when opportunities arise — and that means practicing readiness daily. Imposter Syndrome will have you riding that bench your entire career if you don't start making moves to shift that paradigm.

FranklinCovey 's 4 Essential Roles of Leadership is content that responds to the need for "Ready Now" leaders. This solution helps leaders:

• Think big and adapt quickly: Emphasizing strategic thinking and agility to navigate changing environments.
• Translate strategy into action: Focusing on effective implementation and execution of plans.
• Coach and improve performance: Highlighting the importance of developing and supporting team members.

So the next time self-doubt tries to slow you down, don’t ask Am I ready? Ask Is this mine to do? And if it is — go claim it. Ask HR to hire a leadership development company like FranklinCovey .

🔭 If it's not in the budget for the organization, but you want to invest in yourself so that you can get ready now, email me and let's set up a discovery call: rs@rosannsantos.com