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I was an imposter for a day...here's what I learned.

2021-08-16 · Vlog or day in the life · Ali, Steven Bartlett · recording, 8:46 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Mindset, motivation and happiness (also: YouTube, writing online and creators) · mode: Reflection and life update

Ali vlogs the day he records Steven Bartlett's podcast The Diary of a CEO in London while feeling imposter syndrome; afterwards Bartlett says the same feeling can be read as nerves or excitement and that being out of your depth is the path to growth, and Ali resolves to reinterpret it as excitement.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Heading to London for The Diary of a CEO; prep on the train and imposter syndrome

  • ★★ Ali heads to Steven Bartlett's studio in Shoreditch, London, to record an episode of The Diary of a CEO, and feels imposter syndrome because Bartlett's guests are of very high calibre. — 00:00:00 · London
  • ★★ Ali calls Steven Bartlett's book Happy Sexy Millionaire genuinely excellent despite its click-baity title; he, Angus and John found many parts of the audiobook really good. — 00:00:41 · Angus
  • ★ Ali finds that Steven Bartlett covers much of what Ali covers on YouTube, but from an entrepreneur and CEO perspective where Ali's is a creator's. — 00:01:18
  • ★★ Ali wants his appearance on The Diary of a CEO to be a two-way conversation rather than an interview about him, which he suspects is his imposter syndrome: he feels Bartlett's insight is more valuable than his. (hedged) — 00:01:41

00:02:26 — Nerves in the car; Steven Bartlett's studio camera setup

  • ★★ Before a podcast interview Ali tries to convince himself it is just a friendly chat so as not to overthink or worry about performing, because the more you are in your head, the less well you come across. — 00:02:26
  • ★★ Ali is struck by Steven Bartlett's studio, with four or more cameras, sliders and cinema cameras; his team had planned to go high end for Ali's own podcast with three angles, maybe one on a slider. — 00:02:57

00:03:41 — Steven Bartlett on imposter syndrome, pre-stage nerves and living outside the comfort zone

  • ★★★ Steven Bartlett thought he had never felt imposter syndrome, then realised that, as with pre-stage nerves, we probably all feel something similar and what we tell ourselves about the feeling, from our biases, insecurities and fears, changes its name. (hedged) — 00:03:41
  • ★★ Steven Bartlett: Before going on stage Steven Bartlett feels adrenaline in his chest and tells himself he is ready and excited and that this is normal, while many people feel the same thing and tell themselves they are nervous. — 00:04:11

  • ★★★ Steven Bartlett: Against imposter syndrome, when Steven Bartlett is clearly out of his depth, as on his first Dragons' Den beside dragons of 15 and 17 years, he tells himself he is supposed to be out of his depth and uncomfortable. — 00:04:40

    “I'm supposed to be outside of my depth. I'm supposed to feel uncomfortable. It's supposed to be a challenge.”

  • ★★ Steven Bartlett believes nearly everybody striving forwards will, and should, live their entire life one step outside their comfort zone. — 00:05:09

  • ★★ Steven Bartlett says being uncomfortable and out of your depth is the path to growth: his growth moments were the times he felt he did not know what he was doing. — 00:05:44

00:06:49 — After the interview: reinterpreting the feeling as excitement

  • ★ Ali's Diary of a CEO interview lasted about two and a half hours, apparently one of the longest they had done; he sweated through his shirt from nerves and the lights. — 00:06:49
  • ★★★ Taking Steven Bartlett's point, Ali says the same feeling in the stomach can be read as nervousness, excitement, anticipation or imposter syndrome; having read it as nerves and imposter syndrome, he can now reinterpret it as excitement and anticipation. — 00:07:07

00:07:52 — Back in Cambridge, thoughts on the conversation and sign-off

  • ★ After recording The Diary of a CEO, part of Ali worries he revealed too much, but he thinks Steven Bartlett listened actively and it became the conversation he aimed for. — 00:07:52

Threads in this video

  • restate · How do you beat imposter syndrome? — Against imposter syndrome, when Steven Bartlett is clearly out of his depth, as on his first Dragons' Den beside dragons of 15 and 17 years, he tells himself he is supposed to be out of his depth and uncomfortable. (00:04:40)
  • refine · How do you beat imposter syndrome? — Taking Steven Bartlett's point, Ali says the same feeling in the stomach can be read as nervousness, excitement, anticipation or imposter syndrome; having read it as nerves and imposter syndrome, he can now reinterpret it as excitement and anticipation. (00:07:07)
  • restate · How do you become confident on camera and in public speaking? — Before going on stage Steven Bartlett feels adrenaline in his chest and tells himself he is ready and excited and that this is normal, while many people feel the same thing and tell themselves they are nervous. (00:04:11)
  • restate · How do you become confident on camera and in public speaking? — Before a podcast interview Ali tries to convince himself it is just a friendly chat so as not to overthink or worry about performing, because the more you are in your head, the less well you come across. (00:02:26)

Mentioned

Central: Steven Bartlett · The Diary of a CEO

Also: Angus · Cambridge · Dragons' Den · Happy Sexy Millionaire · London

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