Success Lies Outside of the Comfort Zone: How I Turned Imposter Syndrome Into Strength

I still remember my first client meeting 10 years ago when I started my first company CloudFountain Inc., I knew I had what it took to serve the client I was pitching that day. My background and expertise in engineering and computer technologies were robust. 

However, as a start-up founder of a B2B consulting firm, I was entering into other aspects of business. I was new to this and feeling a large dose of Imposter Syndrome, my inner dialogue, “Am I good enough?” “Can I do this?” 

Not having much work experience running a company, this area heightened this sensation. Women and persons of color are more likely to experience imposter syndrome than their counterparts. Ultimately, I did not get that client. In fact, I had several client rejections after that. 

But over time, I found my confidence, I realized that I began to flex a new muscle and got better at that pitch. I got better at recognizing what I could bring to the table. When I got that first client, that feeling of imposter syndrome grew smaller.

This was the first of many instances where I was out of my comfort zone. It was where imposter syndrome lived for me. When I paused to look at the other side of this coin, being out of my comfort zone was what contributed greatly to my success. 

Now as the Co-Founder of my second company, Everyday Life, I find myself on the edge of that coin again. I needed to play a role I was not trained in. Being a tech entrepreneur, you wear many hats. Those familiar feelings of imposter syndrome can creep back.

This time though, I knew that this purposeful step out of my comfort zone would provide me with invaluable expertise and would be a part of my evolution. My new company would evolve in the process. By cross-training and learning in the moment, I was able to discern on a higher level what was needed. 

Success lies outside of the comfort zone. The discomfort proves that I am on the verge of learning something new, exploring new opportunities and helping my company get to the next level. So, imposter syndrome and the discomfort it brings equals evolution.  

Will the imposter syndrome ever go away? Do I want it to? My answer is no. It’s kept me agile in the face of fear. It made me curious in the face of discovery. It’s less scary now and I recognize the symptoms of discomfort and embrace them as an early sign of my next achievement that will expand my horizon.

(Top illustration, courtesy deloitte.com.)

---

Dipali Trivedi is an MIT graduate and serial entrepreneur. She is currently working as co-founder and CTO of Everyday Life, a FinTech startup that serves middle-income families with innovative insurance products and financial planning. Before Everyday Life, she founded CloudFountain Inc., a consulting firm focused on big data and Salesforce CRM consulting. Dipali has 10+ years of corporate leadership experience prior to entrepreneurship. She has worked for companies like Athena Health, Siemens, Constant Contact, etc leading SAAS products and platform development teams. She volunteers for various non-profit organizations in the USA, India, and Africa, and serves as a board advisor. She is an influencer for Women in Tech to break glass ceilings and fight gender bias. She lives in Belmont MA with her husband and her kids, she loves to run, hike and travel.