Imposter Syndrome and the CoVo Calling

by Dave Miller

Imposter syndrome is a real and persistent feeling for just about anyone who attempts something larger or harder than their past experience or training has prepared them for. In fact, if someone never experiences even a flicker of it, that might be a red flag. It may suggest they don’t fully grasp the risk, the complexity of the challenge, or the reality that failure is part of every honest attempt to grow.

Imposter syndrome is often less about fraudulence and more about recognition: you are somewhere beyond yourself, doing something that stretches you past what you know you can handle on your own. The assumption we often fall into is that everyone else can handle it—that we’re the only ones in over our heads. But in truth, this feeling is almost universal.

Why Imposter Syndrome is Normal in CoVo Life

In the covocational (CoVo) world, imposter syndrome isn’t just common—it’s inevitable.

Here’s why:

• Attention is always divided. CoVo leaders carry weight in two spheres: the marketplace and ministry. You can’t give 100% to both, and that tension can create a constant sense of inadequacy.

  
  

• You’re pioneering. CoVo leadership is still a frontier. There’s no standardized playbook, and whenever you’re blazing new trails, you’ll feel unqualified.

  
  

• You’re living beyond yourself. The very heart of CoVo is recognizing that calling is bigger than career. That means stepping into spaces where your training feels incomplete and your preparation inadequate.

  
  

The paradox is this: if you don’t feel like an imposter at times in CoVo leadership, you may not be pressing into the Kingdom-sized calling that stretches you into dependence on God.

Imposter Syndrome as a Teacher

Rather than seeing imposter syndrome as an obstacle, we can receive it as a teacher:

• It humbles us. It reminds us that leadership is not about self-sufficiency. As Paul wrote, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

  
  

• It builds courage. True leadership is not the absence of fear but moving forward despite it.

  
  

• It draws us toward dependence. CoVo leaders live in the radical middle—trusting that Christ empowers ordinary people to carry extraordinary responsibility.

  
  
  
  

Anchoring with CFC: Commitment, Focus, Consistency

When the weight of imposter syndrome presses in, CFC becomes a stabilizing rhythm:

• Commitment — Remember why you stepped into this calling. You’re not here because you’re the most qualified but because you’ve committed yourself to Christ’s mission. Imposter syndrome loses its grip when you return to that deeper “yes.”

  
  

• Focus — Imposter syndrome thrives in comparison. It whispers that everyone else has it figured out. But focus directs your eyes back to what God has put in front of you today—the people, tasks, and opportunities that matter most.

  
  

• Consistency — The cure for the “I’m not enough” feeling isn’t a sudden breakthrough; it’s steady, faithful steps over time. Consistency builds credibility, shapes character, and proves that even small, repeated acts of obedience grow into Kingdom impact.

  
  
  
  

Leading Through the Feeling

In CoVo leadership, the goal isn’t to eliminate imposter syndrome but to reframe it. It’s not a sign that you’re failing—it’s a sign that you’re leading. Feeling out of your depth is evidence you’re not shrinking back but stepping forward into the stewardship God has entrusted to you.

So the next time imposter syndrome whispers in your ear, take heart. Anchor yourself in Commitment, Focus, and Consistency. You’re not alone—you’re in good company with every leader who’s risked more than they could handle on their own, and with every CoVo leader learning to lean on Christ in the thin places where attention, energy, and confidence run short.

Because here’s the truth: in CoVo life, imposter syndrome will always show up. But so will grace. And grace is what carries us beyond ourselves into faithful leadership.