The difference between winners and close runners up is often very small.

Sometimes the winning margin comes down to whether a ‘champion mindset’ is tapped into that supplements the hard work.

The flipside to this is the, perhaps, wafer thin difference between having self-belief to raise your game above others, and self-doubt that undermines your performance.

Those with deeply held levels of self-doubt, called neurotic imposters by psychologists, are unable to accept their own success – even when it has been recognised and rewarded by others.

In many ways we all experience the feeling of being an imposter at some point in time. Imposter syndrome is most likely to hit, and hit hard, though when you are going through a period of transition.

This might be a promotion to becoming a senior leader or securing Series A funding for your start-up. Both are occasions I have witnessed in the last few years.

The situation then is that other people have recognised your abilities, your hard work and your talent for further progression but you do not.

So how do you reduce the feelings of being a fake and instead open yourself up to move towards a ‘champion mindset’?

There are a few straightforward ways you can try and deal with imposter syndrome:

Set yourself goals to prove to yourself you are good enough. This might be chairing an important meeting, giving a presentation to a larger audience or a media interview with a high-profile programme.
Be consistent. Show up at those times that matter and that also put your self-belief under a little bit of strain.
Avoid chasing perfection and accept that sometimes good enough will do.