Top 10 lessons from Lan Phan on Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Lan Phan, author of Do This Daily and a peak performance expert with degrees from Harvard and Stanford, tackled a topic every rising professional faces but few talk about out loud: imposter syndrome.
Through humor, heartfelt storytelling, and practical strategies, Lan gave INROADS students a roadmap to confidence—without the perfection myth. Whether you're just starting out or changing career directions, her message was clear: you are exactly where you need to be, and the power to thrive is already within you.
Here are the top ten lessons from her session: “Land the Job, Ditch the Doubt: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome”
She quoted Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor, Austrian neurologist, psychologist, and philosopher: “Between the stimulus (What happens to us) and our response (how we respond to the situation) there is a space. And in that space lies our freedom and our happiness.” We can’t always control what happens to us—but we can always control how we respond.
You always have the power to shape your destiny. Life is happening for you, and therein lies your power.
Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. Lan encouraged everyone to aim for small, daily improvements, not overnight mastery. Her mantra?
“Be brave enough to suck at something new.”
Start before you’re ready. Public speaking, career moves, leadership—confidence comes from doing, failing, learning, and repeating it over and over again.
When self-doubt creeps in, Lan suggests using a psychologist-approved trick: “name it to tame it.” Saying out loud, “I’m feeling nervous because I want to do well,” shifts your brain from panic to problem-solving.
And here's a bonus tip:
Reframe fear as excitement. Your body can’t tell the difference, but your mind will.
Feelings aren’t facts. Lan recommends keeping a brag folder—a collection of emails, comments, or notes about your accomplishments. When doubt shows up, pull out the receipts.
Growth isn’t easy—but it’s worth it. Life doesn’t get easier, but we get stronger. When faced with seemingly impossible tasks, like assembling IKEA furniture, Lan reminds us to repeat the mantra,
“You can do hard things.”
When something feels overwhelming, break it down into smaller, manageable steps—just like assembling something complicated. Tackling one piece at a time turns chaos into progress.
Lan’s final challenge was to help someone else. Share what you’ve learned. Support a peer. Nothing solidifies your own progress like helping someone take their first step.
Invest in the One Asset That Truly Pays Off:
You are your greatest asset.
“Not stocks. Not crypto. Not your next job title. The best investment you’ll ever make is you.” Every time you raise your hand to ask a question, read a book, talk to a mentor, or take a course—you’re earning compound interest on your future. Great companies invest in products. Great leaders? They invest in people—starting with themselves.
And investing in yourself doesn’t have to be flashy. It starts with mindset shifts:
- Replace “I don’t know how to do that” with “I don’t know how… yet.”
- Reframe “I don’t belong here” into “I’m learning here.”
Because nobody—not a boss, a recruiter, or a professor—will care more about your growth than you will. (Okay, maybe your mom. But after her—it’s all on you.)
Just Start
Lan’s session ended with a favorite quote from Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist, author, and pioneer of New Journalism:
“Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but to slide in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a ride!’”
So start scared. Start unsure. Just start.