To conclude our brief Inheritors’ Blog Series, today we will reflect on Imposter Syndrome (and staying true to oneself)!
A few years ago, my ever-formal aunt insisted I come to her black-tie 90th birthday party. How could I say no? So, I rented a dress (thank you to Rent the Runway), flew to Washington D.C., and dutifully played the part of a good niece. And that is what it was, a role I chose to play. It wasn’t me, I felt like an impostor. Fortunately, it was only for a weekend.
It’s sad to see heirs play a role they didn’t audition for: one they are trapped in for a lifetime. One that makes them feel as if they are an impostor, too.
Sometimes it’s necessary to rebel to escape from an impostor role. One of my former clients moved to a remote location with a small community where no one knew his family or family office. He has been there for several years now, living off-grid, bypassing the quarterly family-office meetings, and staying anonymous but true to himself. The opposite of imposter is authentic.