In this episode, Kate and Shayla sit down with author and imposter syndrome expert Alison Shamir to unpack one of the most universal, misunderstood experiences in modern work: that persistent belief that you don’t deserve your success.

Alison breaks down what imposter syndrome actually is, why high achievers are especially prone to it, and how those old origin stories from childhood quietly shape our confidence, our careers, and our sense of belonging. Together they explore why external success never fixes the internal narrative, how perfectionism and overworking keep the cycle alive, and what it really takes to rewrite the story that keeps so many brilliant people stuck.

From self-worth to self-confidence to the “trilogy of selves,” this conversation goes deep into the psychology, the patterns, and the practical tools that help people move beyond self-doubt and into grounded, evidence-based confidence.

If you’ve ever found yourself minimising your achievements, waiting to be found out, or discounting every win… this episode will feel like someone finally turned the lights on.

In this episode

• What imposter syndrome is
• Why competence isn’t the antidote and why confidence alone can’t save you
• The origin story: how early experiences shape adult self-belief
• The difference between self-worth, self-esteem, and self-confidence
• Why high-performing professionals mask their doubt so well
• The imposter cycles and self-sabotaging patterns Alison sees in her coaching
• How to build an evidence bank that your brain will actually believe
• The surprising role of authenticity and psychological safety at work
• What it takes to rewrite the internal narrative… and why it changes everything

Resources:

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/48yQYSP

Clance Imposter Scale test - https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf

Connect with Alison Shamir:

Linkedin - https://au.linkedin.com/in/alison-shamir-67440b17

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alisonshamir/

Websites - https://alisonshamir.com/

If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!).

Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us

Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com

Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks

Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com

Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What if that familiar “I’m about to be found out” feeling isn’t the truth… but a story your brain has rehearsed for years?

In this Outlawbrary episode, Shayla and Kate dive into Conquer Your Imposter by confidence and imposter syndrome expert Alison Shamir. It’s a book packed with research-backed insights, personal stories, and practical tools for anyone who’s ever questioned their capability, underestimated their achievements, or secretly worried they’re “winging it.”

They unpack the history of imposter syndrome, the surprising statistics behind it, the ADHD connection, the trilogy of selves (self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth), and the five imposter syndrome types that show up in high-achievers. They also share their test results from the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale and reveal what they learned about their own patterns of self-doubt.

Then, in a special guest appearance, Alison Shamir joins the conversation to talk about why she wrote Conquer Your Imposter, how her personal story shaped the book, and what she hopes readers will take away from it.

If you’ve ever wondered why capable people feel like frauds, or you’re curious about how imposter syndrome shows up in your own life, this episode offers clarity, compassion and a heap of practical insight.

In this episode

– What Conquer Your Imposter teaches us about understanding imposter syndrome – Why Shayla and Kate scored higher than expected on the imposter syndrome test – The overlap between ADHD and imposter syndrome – The five imposter syndrome types and how to spot your dominant pattern – How perfectionism, identity and self-talk keep imposter syndrome alive – Alison’s personal journey and why she decided to write the book – The biggest myths about imposter syndrome and what actually helps

Resources:

Buy the book: https://amzn.to/48yQYSP

Clance Imposter Scale test - https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf

Connect with Alison Shamir:

Linkedin - https://au.linkedin.com/in/alison-shamir-67440b17

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alisonshamir/

Websites - https://alisonshamir.com/

If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!).

Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us

Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com

Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks

Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com

Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

What happens when your life looks perfectly fine on paper, but you're quietly trapped in a life or career that no longer fits?

This episode began with an email from a listener. She is accomplished, respected, highly capable, and yet she feels like she has no room to breathe, no time to think, and no idea how to get unstuck. She told us she feels weighed down by the golden handcuffs, unsure whether she can take a step backward in seniority, afraid of starting again, worried about losing flexibility, and pulled between gratitude for what she has and a growing sense that something needs to change.

These feelings are more common than most people realise. So today, we wanted to talk about what being stuck really looks like, why it happens to smart people with good careers, and how you can begin to loosen the grip without blowing up your life.

We unpack the emotional, financial, practical and psychological forces that keep people exactly where they are. From the sunk cost fallacy to confidence dips, cognitive load, the fear of making a wrong move, the weight of responsibility, and the false belief that flexibility and fulfilling work cannot coexist, this episode goes deep into the real barriers that make change so hard.

And then we talk through ideas and small, practical moves to help you start shifting things. Because getting unstuck is rarely one big leap. It is usually small, intentional changes that slowly make space for clarity, courage and choice.

Whether you are feeling trapped in your job, sitting in the discomfort of "fine", craving more fulfilment, or just needing permission to question the rules you have internalised, this conversation will meet you where you are and offer gentle ways forward.

• The reality of feeling stuck in your career
• Why cognitive load makes it impossible to plan a way out
• Finding micro-moments of time when life feels full
• The sunk cost fallacy and why your brain fights against change
• Golden handcuffs and the fear of going backwards
• Using the Backwards Budget to understand what you actually need
• Rebuilding confidence after a break or big life shift
• The devil you know and the myth that change is always riskier
• How to experiment, test ideas and make decisions with less fear
• Why small shifts are often more powerful than dramatic ones

If you loved this episode... Share it with a friend who’s wanting a change (or just needs permission to do the thing!).

Rate and review Outlaws on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more Outlaws find us

Find out more Website: www.outlawspodcast.com

Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, tools, and more Outlawbrary picks

Connect with us Instagram: @the.outlaws.podcast - https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast Facebook Group: Outlaws Podcast Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.outlaws.podcast LinkedIn: Outlaws Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/106681587 Email: contact@outlawspodcast.com

Hosted and produced by Shayla Strapps