Imposter Syndrome

The Tour de France is one of the many things that has been canceled or delayed this year.  The three week race usually happens in July, but the 2020 edition happened in September.  Irishman, Sam Bennett, won the green sprinter's jersey.  (You can read all about the Tour and the various jerseys in my Lessons from the Peloton here and here.)

 

In an article from Cycling News, Sam talked about his emotions.  From teary eyed to joyful.  But this statement is what really caught my attention, "sometimes you can have a little bit of imposter syndrome that you don’t know if you’re good enough to be in this position."

 

Imposter Syndrome.  I've been chewing on those two words for several days now.  We notice when someone is puffed up with pride, but what about those who never accomplish anything because they don't feel they're good enough?  An article from Unlocking the Bible addressed Imposter Syndrome and Christianity.  The writer describes Imposter Syndrome:

The imposter syndrome is the name our culture has given to the constant feeling that you do not belong to your own community or that your accomplishments are illegitimate. Far from humility, this is an irrational state of paranoia that causes us to think of ourselves more as we think less of ourselves.  (source)

My Bible reading this week took me to the book of 1 Corinthians. Chapter 12 contains an interesting passage about the body of Christ and its members. Paul gives a clear illustration in verses 15 through 21:

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

It's interesting that Paul spends more time talking about the parts comparing themselves to another part. Only verse 21 talks about an eye or a head saying they don't need another part. How often do people get discouraged because they compare themselves to someone else? "Because I'm not the preacher, I'm not important to the body." "Because I'm not the head usher, I'm not important to the body." "Because I'm not..."

 

It would be an awfully strange looking body if it was entirely made up of eyes. God is the Designer. Just as He designed our bodies to function, so He designed each of us to function within the body of Christ. Be who God called you to be.  Grow your talent.  You are God's child and that's all you need to know to know that you do belong.

We Produce What We Are

From my devotional yesterday:

In our culture of over-achievers, we tend to focus on going farther - on going the second mile. And Jesus clearly said we are to be willing to do that. But to begin the second mile, we must complete the first. We must be ordinary before we can hope to be excellent.

A south Alabama track meet was a showcase for a fine young athlete expected to shatter the state record in the mile. He was the race - no one else could come close to him in ability. No one in the packed stands gave a glance toward the pale, scrawny kid lined up on the outside. He was nobody special - nothing to notice. The gun sounded.

As expected, the star runner looped the track like a sprinter, pulling away from the pack with yards to spare. As he broke the tape, the crowd roared. Another runner finished second - then third - then fourth. The loudspeaker announced the winner's time, a new state record.

But the race wasn't over.

One runner was struggling for the finish line all alone. When he crossed it, he collapsed, gasping for breath. When coaches rushed over to lift him up, one of them chided him for running: "Son, what were you thinking? You're no miler, and this is a championship race. You couldn't hope to win." "Sir," he said, "we had us a boy who could run the mile, but he took sick. Coach asked me to run in his place. He didn't send me down here to win - he sent me down here to run a mile, and Mister, I ran a mile."

It's easy to get caught in the trap of watching others accomplish great things.  But that is their race. We can't know all the ordinary things they did before they did the extraordinary.  Each of us has a task, we are uniquely designed to accomplish our task.

Matthew chapter 25 records the parable of the talents.  The one with only one talent said, "I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth."   I was looking for a quote that I thought was from Sis. Nona Freeman, it was something like, "If all the one talent people would stand up we could do mighty things."  I searched my blog for the quote, and while it wasn't there, I came upon this quote from the book "God is No Stranger" that I received when I went to Haiti in 1983:

Lord,
We don't get mangoes from an avocado tree
And we don't get corn from the banana plant.
We produce what we are.
Help us to be what You need produced.

Whether we have one talent or ten, we are responsible to produce what we are.  We need to have the attitude of the young runner who said "I was sent here to run a mile and I ran a mile!"  Each of us have a purpose.  Whatever that is, at the end of my race I want to say, "I was sent here for a purpose and I fulfilled the purpose!"

Continuous Effort

 Today's Runner's World quote of the day is awesome!

Anything we accomplish is going to come from continuous effort. The IQ of a genius doesn't guarantee success.  Knowing and doing are two different things.  Whether it's Bible reading, soul winning, prayer time, weight loss, exercise, building a business, graduating from college - we will never know our potential without continuous effort.

A college athlete who wasn't considered a "natural" but had a very successful career once said, "Hard work beats talent when talent won't work hard."  We've all met them - the gifted, the naturals who never reach their potential.  They're content to do only what comes naturally and easy, never pushing themselves to be amazing or outstanding.  We've also seen the "average" ones who go on to become great, because of continuous effort.

Unfortunately, my house isn't going to get cleaned today without major, continuous effort!  But I know it has the potential to look and smell really good when it's clean, so it will be worth the effort!

Quality vs. Quantity

One thing I'm learning in my marathon training is the difference between quality and quantity.  In the past I have run 40 to 50 miles in a week, but not pushed the pace.  Now I am running about 30 miles, but running with a focus.  One day I'll run 5 easy miles, the next I'll run 5 miles of hills, then a long slow distance.  Each day has a different focus with a certain time involved.  I can tell I'm getting stronger, even though I'm running shorter distances.

It's the same way with what we eat.  Eat an apple and you'll be satisfied for quite a while.  Have a 100 calorie snack pack and you'll be looking for more in a 30 minutes, and something else in an hour.

The Pharisees were all about quantity and making sure everyone saw it.  They fasted twice a week and payed tithe on everything.  Neither of things are wrong, they're actually good things.  But the quality of the Pharisees' lives were such that Jesus called them hypocrites seven times in Matthew chapter 23!

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might"  Maybe you don't feel like you have a lot of talent ~ it doesn't matter.  Whatever you do, give if your best. 

“The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it. ”
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.”
~ Lou Holtz

Knowing Your Strengths

Twice this week Les and I have ridden on the Las Llayas Canyon Trail. I really like the first 3.5 miles, it's an average of 4% grade, some sandy areas, but nothing I can't handle. At the 3.5 mile mark is the "Y." At that point the trail takes an ugly turn and the grade quickly gets in double digits. I have gone about a mile further up the trail, but it is so hard, I really dread it! I can barely pedal, even in granny gear!

I tried something new when we rode on Tuesday. When we got to the "Y," I told Les to keep going. I then turned around, went about 2 miles down the trail, turned back around and came back to the "Y." This worked perfectly! The 2 miles of downhill gave my legs a chance to recover and I enjoyed the second time up even more. Meanwhile, Les got in a better workout as well.

We used the same strategy again this morning and I was pleased with my results. I can tell the ride is still pushing me, it's hard, but doable. I'm getting stronger and getting in lots of miles. But, I am not Les on the bike - he is so much stronger than me!

Do you find yourself silently "competing" with someone in life? Whether it's the type of car you drive or size home you own, the number of solos you sing in the choir or how many Sunday nights you play for service. Are you comparing yourself to someone else? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:12 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."

Just as it is not wise or reasonable to think that I can ride as strongly as Les, it is not wise to compare ourselves to anyone else. I am working on my own riding and handling skills. So must we all work on improving the talents and abilities that God has given us. Let your gift make room for itself. Proverbs 18:16 "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men."