And why it’s not imposter syndrome.
At some point, your responsibility will outgrow your confidence.
You’re sitting in a meeting. People are looking at you for decisions. You’re leading something that suddenly feels bigger than you.
And a quiet thought appears:
How did I end up here?
Most people call this imposter syndrome.
But what if that feeling isn’t a sign that something is wrong with you? What if it’s actually a sign that something is working exactly as it should?
We’re done with imposter syndrome.
The term imposter syndrome suggests something is off. It sounds like you don’t belong. Like you’re not ready. Like you’re somehow faking it.
But most high performers aren’t imposters.
They’re simply stepping into bigger roles. Making decisions without full certainty. Doing things for the first time.
That’s not a syndrome. That’s growth.
And frankly – everything called a syndrome makes it sound like a sickness. You’re not sick. You’re growing.
We call it the growth gap instead.
What the growth gap actually is
The growth gap is the space between what’s expected from you and what you feel fully confident doing.
And here’s the important part: this gap is not a problem. It’s where your career expands.
Almost every meaningful career step begins the same way. Your first leadership role. Your first big presentation. Your first strategic decision. Your first career jump.
You feel slightly – or very – unprepared.
Not because you’re incapable. But because you’ve never done this exact version before.
And yet – someone trusted you with it. That part is often overlooked.
Why high performers struggle more in the growth gap
If you’re ambitious, driven and used to performing well, the growth gap feels especially uncomfortable.
Because you’re used to being in control. You’re used to knowing what you’re doing. You have high standards for yourself.
So when uncertainty appears, it feels like a threat. You’re not losing control. You’re expanding your capacity.
There’s also something else. High performers are used to getting things done fast – moving tasks off their desk at speed. The problems that stick around long term, that require sitting in discomfort for months, feel deeply unfamiliar.
And yet those are exactly the problems that define the next level.
The confidence trap
Here’s something most people get wrong:
They think confidence comes first – and then growth follows.
But it’s the opposite.
Action → Proof → Confidence.
You take the step. You survive – and often succeed. Your brain updates. Confidence follows.
The problem? There’s always a delay.
And that delay is exactly what the growth gap feels like.
Which means the worst thing you can do is wait until you feel ready. Because that feeling doesn’t come before the step. It comes after.
You’re more capable than you think.
One of the biggest patterns that shows up again and again: people underestimate their ability in the moment – and overestimate how ready they need to feel.
Most roles are not designed for you to be 100% ready. They’re designed for you to grow into them. To figure things out. To build confidence along the way.
In fact, if you feel 100% ready – you’ve probably already outgrown the role.
And here’s something worth sitting with: other people almost always see your capacity before you do. Not because they know you better. But because they’re not applying the same harsh internal standard you apply to yourself.
You would never speak to a close friend the way you speak to yourself in those moments of doubt.
What actually helps in the growth gap
You don’t need to eliminate the discomfort. You need to learn to move with it.
Normalize it. You’re not the only one feeling this. Everyone who grows goes through it. Most leaders, when asked honestly, will tell you they were completely freaking out when they took that step. They just don’t talk about it in the moment.
Talk about it. The fastest way to gain perspective is to open up. Ask someone you trust: when did you feel completely unprepared in your career? You’ll be surprised how common it is – and how much easier it becomes when you say it out loud.
Borrow confidence from your past. Remind yourself what you’ve already handled. What once felt impossible but is now normal. The growth gap you’re in today is not your first one – even if it feels like it.
Use being new as an advantage. You’re allowed to ask questions. You’re allowed to not know everything. No one expects you to have ten years of experience in a role you just stepped into. Use that window strategically.
Keep your eyes on the long-term. The discomfort of the growth gap is easier to sit with when you can see where it’s taking you. Innovative leaders – the ones who build something meaningful – tend to have a system around them that helps them stay in the discomfort longer. Good relationships. Good habits. Good reflection practices. Not because they’re superhuman. Because they’ve built a foundation that holds them.
The growth gap keeps coming back.
Here’s what nobody tells you at the beginning:
The growth gap doesn’t go away when you get more experienced.
It just changes shape.
The higher you go, the clearer one thing becomes: certainty doesn’t increase. Your ability to operate despite uncertainty does.
The leaders who stand out at the top aren’t the ones who feel most prepared. They’re the ones who’ve learned to make decisions without full information, hold discomfort for longer periods, and keep moving anyway.
And that capacity? It’s built in the growth gap. Every single time.
A different way to see it
What if the moments you doubt yourself the most are actually the moments you’re stepping into your next level?
What if that uncomfortable feeling isn’t a signal to stop – but a signal that you’re exactly where you need to be?
The goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty.
It’s to become someone who can move forward despite it.
This post is connected to episode 25 of the Navyra podcast – a conversation about the growth gap, why high performers struggle most in it, and what actually helps you move through it.
If you’re in a growth gap right now and want structured support to navigate what comes next – explore the Navyra Program.
And for a short weekly letter with reflections, prompts and practical tools for ambitious professionals navigating change – join The Next Era Edit.
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