What Tina Fey Taught Me

Ok, let me try to get in your head for a moment. You’ve had this thought, am I right?

Why do I still feel like I don’t belong here…even when the evidence says otherwise?”

You’re not alone, it’s totally normal, and sadly, these thoughts hurt our peace, our self-esteem, our confidence, and our overall happiness levels by adding to anxiety and stress.

Feeling imposter syndrome doesn’t mean you are a fraud. It means you’re human.

Want proof? People who have reached levels of incredible success feel this too:

• Michelle Obama: "It never goes away... That feeling of 'I don't know if the world should take me seriously; I'm just Michelle Robinson, that little girl on the south side who went to public school'".

• Maya Angelou once said that after publishing book after book, she still felt like she’d “run a game on everybody” and worried they’d find her out.

• Tom Hanks: "No matter what we've done, there comes a point where you think, 'How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?'"

• Lady Gaga: "I still sometimes feel like a loser kid in high school and I just have to pick myself up and tell myself that I'm a superstar every morning."

• Emma Watson has described how the better she did, the more convinced she was that she’d been “found out” as a fraud.

• Meryl Streep: 'You think, "Why would anyone want to see me again in a movie? And I don't know how to act anyway, so why am I doing this?"'

• Even my all-time favorite, Tina Fey (who has made me laugh until my sides hurt) has mentioned that she has had it:
  “The beauty of imposter syndrome is you vacillate between extreme egomania and a complete feeling of: ‘I’m a fraud!’” — and somehow we keep showing up anyway.

These aren’t fringe stories…they’re reminders that self-doubt doesn’t discriminate. It’s a human thing! We all have it. So please, don’t let the fact that you feel it make you believe that it’s true.

When it bubbles up:

1. Notice the discomfort without believing it
Your nervous system feels uncertainty as a threat, even when success is real. (That’s biology, not evidence.)

2. Name it out loud

When you recognize the thought: “I must be a fraud”…gently reframe: “This is just fear talking. It’s not a fact, fear is just showing me that I am growing, and that’s good!”

3. Celebrate what’s true

Instead of minimizing wins (“It was luck”), practice grounding in reality: “I showed up. I did the work. My results matter.”

Tonight Before Bed:

Go on a treasure hunt and think of three things you did well today…one internal (like staying calm), one external (like finishing something), and one relational (like a kind thing you said). Consider making this a nightly habit: noticing 3 good things you helped make happen. Keep repeating.

(That practice helps retrain your nervous system to notice what’s real.)

You can change the impact of this human trait without chasing perfection. And if someone as accomplished as our buddy Tina wrestles with self-doubt, oh-my-goodness, please - trust that it’s really just a sign you’re growing into what you’re doing, not a sign you don’t belong.

You’re here because you earned it…even if part of you still feels surprised by that.

And if Imposter Syndrome really hits home for you, let’s talk. I have a zillion more tools ready for you!

Please forward to someone who could use inspiration from these quotes!