Sometimes, a single moment wakes something up in you. For Tran Nguyen, that moment came during what seemed like an ordinary morning run, until she stepped on a snail. It wasn’t the first time, but this time was different. That one step became the spark that unraveled a quarter-life crisis and sparked a journey toward deeper purpose, personal transformation, and the desire to help others do the same.
Tran had been working in the sports industry, helping people improve performance as a physiotherapist and strength coach. On the outside, things looked good, steady career, healthy lifestyle, forward motion. But after that morning, something shifted. The guilt she felt led her to reflect on the bigger impact of her daily actions, not just physically, but energetically. That insight became a question: How can I use my time on this planet to create a more positive impact?
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Letting Go of What No Longer Feels Enough
That one question cracked open a deeper realisation. Tran began noticing how her previous role, as supportive as it was, no longer felt aligned with the impact she wanted to make. Teaching people how to run faster or strengthen their wrists felt too narrow. She wanted more. She wanted to support people as human beings, not just as athletes, and help them truly thrive.
She left the sports world and began a new path: mentoring women who are pivoting, redefining their careers, or stepping into a life of purpose. And through that journey, a familiar feeling began to surface, something many women know all too well.
The Truth About Imposter Syndrome
Tran shared something powerful: up to 80% of people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. That’s a huge number. It doesn’t discriminate. It affects people of all genders, backgrounds, and industries. And surprisingly, it tends to affect high achievers the most, those who are outwardly successful, but inwardly struggling to believe they deserve it.
- Imposter syndrome isn’t about lack of success, it’s about not being able to internalise it.
- It’s not limited to early stages of business, it often deepens as we grow and expand.
- The more we surround ourselves with successful people, the more likely we are to compare and question our own worth.
Even when we’ve accomplished a lot, the mind can latch onto one failure or one perceived shortcoming and let that override all the other wins. That’s how the brain’s negativity bias works. It’s not the feeling that’s the problem, it’s the belief behind it.
Moving Through the Illusion
The key is to recognise that imposter syndrome is just that, an illusion. It might feel real. It might even seem logical. But when you zoom out, you realise it’s rooted in fear, not truth.
Tran spoke about the importance of facing the feeling, looking it in the eye, and moving forward anyway. You don’t need to eliminate the fear before you act. You just need to acknowledge it, and choose to keep going. That’s where the shift happens.
And sometimes, we need support to do that. A mentor. A psychologist. A friend who sees the highest version of us. Someone who can hold the vision when we temporarily forget it ourselves.
The Power of Visualization
One of Tran’s favourite tools for dissolving imposter syndrome is what she calls “future programming visualization.” It’s a process of mentally rehearsing a situation, seeing it play out with success and ease, so your brain begins to feel familiar and comfortable with that outcome.
- Start by visualising yourself five minutes after successful completion of the event (a launch, a talk, a client session).
- Use your senses. What are you hearing, feeling, seeing? The more vivid, the better.
- Then work backward: five minutes before, three-quarters of the way through, halfway, a quarter, and finally the beginning.
- Repeat the process three times to anchor the feeling in your body and create a sense of calm confidence.
When you create that level of familiarity, your nervous system relaxes. You no longer feel like you’re stepping into the unknown. Instead, it becomes something your body already recognises, and that changes everything.
Integrating Worth on All Levels
Tran also talked about how imposter syndrome exists on different tiers. It’s not just mental. It’s emotional and spiritual too.
Someone might know, intellectually, that they’ve achieved a lot, but if they don’t feel it in their body, or trust it in their soul, the disconnect remains. True worthiness comes from integrating all three tiers.
That’s why Tran includes a weekly reflection ritual. At the end of each week, she writes down ten ways she showed up, things she did, ways she felt proud, ways she embodied who she wants to be. But she doesn’t stop there. She sits with each one. She closes her eyes. She lets the pride land in her body. She lets the feeling become real.
- The list isn’t just business achievements. It includes joy, creativity, and meaningful connection.
- Some of the most fulfilling entries aren’t about income, they’re about presence, truth, and alignment.
- The moments that light us up often show up at the end of the list, but they’re the ones that matter most.
This kind of reflection rewires the brain. Over time, it becomes easier to acknowledge your growth, your power, your capacity, and to believe in it, not just know it.
You Get to Define Your Dream Life
So often, imposter syndrome is tied to comparison. We see someone else’s version of success, a beach laptop, a seven-figure launch, and feel like we’re not enough. But what if that isn’t even what you want?
Tran reminded us that your dream life gets to be your own. Whether that’s a high-income business or a gentle, spacious lifestyle, the point is alignment, not comparison. When you’re clear on what you truly want, it becomes easier to stay in your lane, hold your vision, and release the pressure to match someone else’s.
Imposter syndrome fades when you stop measuring your life against someone else’s highlight reel and start measuring it by your own values.
Final Reflections
There’s so much freedom in naming what’s really happening. In acknowledging the fear, the doubt, the tender edges, and choosing to show up anyway. You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to be willing. Willing to see yourself. To claim your space. To take up the room your soul already knows you deserve.
The more you remember your own truth, the less power the illusions hold. You’re not an imposter. You’re becoming.
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