Facing The Inner Critic: Insights From Powerful Women On Conquering Self-Doubt
No matter how accomplished we are, self-doubt has a way of creeping in — whispering doubts that make us question our worth. Research shows that over 75% of women experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. Even trailblazing entrepreneurs and industry leaders aren’t immune to these inner struggles.
Instead of letting doubt hold them back, many women have learned to transform it into fuel for their success. In this piece, 25 inspiring women leaders share how they’ve quieted their inner critics and built unshakeable confidence.
From brand and marketing leader Brittany Woitas’ shift to an abundance mindset to agency founder Catharine Montgomery’s focus on resilience over speed, their stories reveal practical strategies to reframe limiting beliefs —and step into your power.
Founder & CEO of Chapter tOO, an organizational and leadership optimization consultancy leveraging data-backed people insights to advance engagement, strategy, and training development processes.
“A subtle way my inner critic shows up is by saying, ‘You can’t celebrate just yet—it’s not done.’ Even when I’ve made significant progress, I sometimes unknowingly hold off on acknowledging it, thinking I need to accomplish more to truly earn the celebration. It’s not always obvious at the moment. But later, I realize how often I’ve let the inner critic steal those moments of joy.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I’ve started being more intentional about celebrating progress and reminding myself to do so. When I catch that voice saying, ‘Not yet,’ I ask, ‘Why not now?’ Most of the time, I can’t even debate that question.”
Founder & CEO of RYLEN, a purpose-driven agency that harnesses creativity and collaboration to design sustainable solutions for global challenges.
“There are moments when my inner critic whispers that I’m not enough—that the work I do will never fully match the scale of the problems I seek to address. It questions whether my voice and actions can create the impact I imagine, especially when the challenges feel insurmountable. These doubts creep in during moments of uncertainty, telling me that perhaps I should aim smaller and dream less boldly.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I remind myself that real change is not about immediate, monumental outcomes but about showing up consistently, with integrity and intention. Each small act—whether connecting one entrepreneur to an opportunity, mentoring a single founder, or designing a thoughtful program—creates ripples far beyond what we can see. This reframing helps me stay grounded in purpose and committed to the work, even when progress feels slow.”
Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer of Pattern Brands, a family of seven brands helping people to enjoy daily life at home.
“My inner critic often tells me I don’t belong. It reminds me that I didn’t go to business school like many of my peers. And for a long time, I let that make me feel less qualified. I’ve felt like an imposter in moments that should have been milestones. But here’s what I’ve learned: belonging isn’t about following a traditional path—it’s about showing up, doing the work, and trusting your journey. My unconventional path hasn’t just shaped my perspective; it’s given me the tools to approach business with resilience, creativity, and a unique edge. It turns out, not belonging in the traditional sense has been one of my greatest assets.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“One of my favorite sayings is, ‘Change is scary, but change is growth. Choose growth.’ Every time I’ve chosen to act despite fear, I’ve proven to myself that confidence isn’t something you’re given—it’s something you earn. Success isn’t about being perfect; it’s about continuous improvement, learning, and growth. I always tell my team: there’s no bad data—failure is just information. It’s an opportunity to grow, practice, and prepare. When you embrace this mindset, it changes everything.”
Chief Marketing Strategist of Julie Zhu LLC, an award-winning marketing strategist based in NYC.
“I was worried that I might be too young when I started teaching graduate-level marketing workshops. The thought of being perceived as inexperienced due to my appearance created moments of self-doubt. Whenever I walked into a classroom full of accomplished entrepreneurs and experienced professionals, that inner critic would start whispering about how I looked too young to be there.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I turned this into my advantage by bringing fresh case studies and real-world experiences directly from my current work into the classroom. The students find me more relatable since I was in their shoes not too long ago, which helps me understand their challenges and aspirations, allowing me to tailor the course material to better support their success.”
Founder & CEO of Katrina Purcell LLC, a fractional COO and consulting firm empowering tech startups and nonprofits to optimize their operations and achieve ambitious growth goals through strategic guidance and tailored solutions.
“My inner critic often whispers that I’m not experienced enough; that my diverse background across various industries somehow makes me less credible than those with a more linear career path. It’s a nagging feeling that I haven’t ‘paid my dues’ in any one particular field, even though my adaptable skills have proven valuable time and again. This sometimes leads me to downplay my accomplishments, even when I know I’ve delivered exceptional results.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I challenge that thought by reminding myself that my adaptable skills have been my greatest strength, allowing me to navigate complex situations and deliver exceptional results across various industries. My experiences make me unique, which allows me to approach problems creatively and develop innovative solutions that others might miss.”
Founder of Storybeat Studio, helping leaders and organizations tackle critical communication challenges: invisibility, disengaged teams, and messaging that fails to inspire action.
“My inner critic tells me that I’m average. I’ve learned to love this so-called insult. So what if I’m average? You can tell me that all day long. You can tell me I’m not that smart; I’m not that great; I’m not special. When my inner critic says this to me, I consider the source and refuse to let any unsolicited feedback, including words from my inner critic, impact how I feel about myself. I’m here to do the most with myself and what I’ve been given.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“The inner critic falls squarely into the camp of all other critics who aren’t in the arena with me. We are all average in some ways. It’s what we choose to do with it that matters.”
Founder & CEO of Better Together, a Black woman-founded, purpose-driven communications agency leveraging values-led strategies to drive meaningful social impact through multi-channel campaigns that influence evolving markets and deliver measurable change.
“A limiting thought I confront is the idea that progress isn’t happening fast enough. Leading a purpose-driven agency means balancing ambition with the reality that systemic change takes time. While the urgency of our mission drives me, I’ve learned to measure success not just by how quickly we move but by the depth of impact we create. This mindset keeps me focused, determined, and unapologetically bold in pursuing transformational change.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I transform that thought by focusing on the tangible progress we’ve made, no matter the scale. Every campaign, partnership, or policy shift we influence is a step toward lasting change. I remind myself that meaningful impact is built through consistency and resilience, not speed. This perspective keeps me grounded while fueling my drive to push boundaries and create a more equitable world.”
Co-Founder of Relatable Nonprofit, empowering people to launch and grow consulting businesses to serve nonprofits.
“My inner critic often tells me the limiting belief that I’m never good enough, no matter how much I achieve. It whispers that I need to keep pushing, striving for the next goal, because only accomplishments define my worth. While this mindset has driven success, it’s also left me feeling exhausted and disconnected from the present.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I’m learning to reframe this belief and remind myself that I am enough, simply as I am, without constant proof of my value.”
Meditation Teacher & Wellbeing Coach at Mind Body Soul Travel, offering 21-day meditation and journaling programs, and one-on-one coaching for stress relief, releasing difficult emotions, and cultivating self-love.
“Since I started my own business, my inner critic has often told me, ‘there are other people that are better at this, so don’t bother.’ I have a limiting belief that because there are already people doing this work who have more experience and followers, no one’s going to choose working with me.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Since being critical of my inner critic would just double the critical voice, I aim to meet it with love and compassion. Our inner critic is usually just trying to protect us (from rejection, failure, etc.). And so I tell that part of me, ‘I know it’s scary, but we’ll be okay no matter what happens.’ Reconnecting to my why helps give me the courage to keep going.”
Founder & CEO of LOUPN, an inclusive jewelry brand with a mission to brighten our communities and help people BE SEEN.
“I’m an introvert, so I always feel super awkward going to networking events and when I need to mingle with a lot of people. I often feel like I can’t be a good leader because I don’t like being the center of attention and don’t feel charismatic enough to be able to capture the attention of a larger audience. I’m not a huge talker, and I’m a very practical person, so I question whether I can be a successful business person when it’s challenging for me to make small talk and schmooze people.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“When I stay true to myself and listen to my intuition, I usually find the one or two people in the large room that I can relate to and allow myself to be curious about them. This helps me to build genuine relationships that go deeper than simply talking to a lot of people.”
Founder & Photographer of Vicki Bartel Photography, helping female founders, industry leaders, and CEOs amplify their impact with high-end, scroll-stopping visuals.
“For a long time, I discredited what I was able to accomplish in my photography business because I didn’t ‘officially’ study it in college. I picked up a camera during my maternity leave to capture my newborn son’s moments, never imagining it would turn into a career. Everything I learned came from ‘Google and YouTube University,’ which, while effective, left me questioning if that was enough. Being self-taught made me second-guess the years I poured into refining my craft, as if my efforts didn’t count without formal credentials. And it often held me back from fully valuing my work.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Once I started giving myself more credit—seeing that I was a stay-at-home mom using every spare moment to learn a new craft and build a business—I began to view myself in a more powerful way. Realizing that I learned through the most practical methods of doing the work, practicing, and failing, I reframed my self-doubt into a recognition of my resilience and drive. That hands-on experience not only taught me invaluable lessons but also helped me grow at a pace I might not have achieved otherwise.”
Fractional CRO/CMO at Traction Advisory, a growth consultancy serving mission-led brands.
“Traction’s mission is to drive growth for businesses addressing the needs of women and families. This means, as a fractional CRO/CMO, I serve clients who span many different industries across both consumer and enterprise landscapes. It’d be easy to feel limited by not having ‘born-and-bred’ expertise in every client’s specific field.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I’ve learned that clients tend to hire me because I don’t have ‘born-and-bred’ expertise in their field. I bring a fresh, external perspective to the table free from incumbent assumptions. Often, my value comes from introducing new ways of working, re-energizing stagnant or under-performing channels and/or developing experiments that lead to innovative growth for the business.”
CEO & Founder of OTITỌ Leadership & People Development, helping growth-stage companies build strategic leaders, high-performing teams, and a results-driven culture that delivers exceptional value to clients, investors, and the business.
“My inner critic often whispers that I’m not doing enough—that to create the impact I want, I need to constantly do more and more. As a high-achieving business owner, this drive has fueled many successes. But it has also led to burnout and overwhelm, which has diminished those successes in the past. Through coaching, I’ve learned to recognise this ‘lack’ mentality, how it actually limits me, and developed tools and techniques to overcome them.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“By working with my own trusted mindset and performance coaches, I’ve reframed my aim from trying to do ‘enough’ to focusing on the impact I want to create. Focusing my energy on what matters most, rather than just doing more, has led me to building an impactful, purpose-driven business I love while coaching founders and leaders to achieve similar results for themselves. It’s surreal to know that I’m creating more impact and success than I ever have, with less effort and more joy.”
Founder & CEO of Em Dash Content Studio, a boutique team of expert writers and strategists that help businesses show up on search and establish themselves as thought leaders.
“My inner critic tells me that I’m less experienced than everyone else and shouldn’t have a seat at the metaphorical table.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I remind myself of my credentials and my successes. I look at where I was five years ago and compare that time to where I am now. Most importantly, I remind myself that our society is set up in a way to make women feel inferior. Combatting this idea starts with us. So, even if I feel like an imposter, I show up with confidence written all over my face.”
CSO (Chief Swag Offer) & Co-Founder of Go To Market – The Anti-Boring Branded Merch Experts, changing the way the world handles swag and designing sustainable branded merchandise shops that reflect our clients’ brand values.
“My inner critic tells me that my work and choice of field in branded merchandise and swag isn’t important or meaningful in the world. It makes me feel frivolous and small. It doesn’t come up often, but when it shows up, it cuts like a knife.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“When I hear that thought, I remind myself that we all have a place and a role in this world. Doing work that is meaningful and exciting to me personally makes me a happier and more generous human, mother, partner, and friend.”
Founder & CEO of Forward Collective Group, a global management advisory and consulting firm specializing in business transformation advisory, learning design and facilitation, experiential marketing, and executive coaching.
“My inner critic loves hyperbole! She doesn’t have one bad day or one lost opportunity; it’s all going downhill—forever. I’ve learned to acknowledge the heavy feelings of insecurity or fear because that’s how I protected myself as a child. That odd contradiction of acknowledgement is how I avoid suppressing my emotions. Letting them out keeps me grounded.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I counter that voice with the affirmation that I’m one choice away from change. I own the hurt but also the process of moving on, which is how I keep from stewing in negativity and letting it blind me to opportunities.”
Founder & Managing Principal of Kōvly Studio, the brand and marketing agency for experience-driven brands.
“At any moment, I’m going to fail. And it’s all going to come crashing down. Even as we enter year 10 as an agency, this fear is always knocking. And it’s caused countless sleepless nights and paralyzing moments over the years.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Through significant inner work, I’ve been able to shift my mindset to one of abundance instead of scarcity. Whenever I feel that self doubt sneaking back in, I tell myself this: ‘I am limitless.’”
Co-Founder & Chief Grant Writing Unicorn of Learn Grant Writing, showing you how to write grants and make money doing it.
“My inner critic says, ‘I’m such a stodgy and annoying person. I can’t stop criticizing. I’m impatient. I’m not lovable.’”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“People and circumstances show us where we are not free. I’m busting free from old thought patterns. Might be slow, but I’ll get there. I love my life and the growth I’m going through. I love myself instead of judging her. She’s doing her best. I get what I give.”
Founder of Meadow, creating intimates that support women during life’s various stages and challenges.
“As a small brand, how can I compete in such an expansive and crowded market? And as a WOC-owned business, it feels even harder to access the funding and support I need to grow.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Being small allows me to stay authentic and connect more personally with my audience, which larger brands often struggle to do. As a WOC-owned business, my perspective and story are unique strengths that resonate with others and create opportunities to stand out and attract aligned supporters.”
CEO & Founder of Ardent Life Design, including The Lawyer Mom Society™ and the Post-Baby Renaissance™ movement, transforming how the legal industry views maternal leadership and proving that motherhood isn’t just a career phase—it’s a catalyst for unprecedented professional excellence.
“As a former big law attorney building a revolutionary movement in the legal industry, my inner critic loves to whisper, ‘Who are YOU to challenge the status quo of a centuries-old profession?’ After billing 2,200+ hours as a new mom, even as I witnessed firsthand how the system needed to change, I still battle thoughts of, ‘maybe the traditional way is the only way.’ This doubt feels especially loud when I’m developing innovative solutions for law firms and my inner critic questions whether I can truly transform how an entire industry approaches maternal leadership.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I remind myself that my lived experience as a lawyer mom, combined with my passion for systematic change, isn’t just my credential—it’s my catalyst for revolution. When that inner critic rises, I ground myself in the truth that transformative movements are born precisely from those who’ve felt the deepest need for change and dared to envision a different future.”
Founder & Executive Leadership Coach of Lead for Good, a coaching and consulting company for change makers and the places they work.
“When my inner critic is in the driver’s seat, the volume is all the way up on the limiting thought that my success is just luck and that at any point it could vanish. It tells me that making six-figures working less than 20 hours a week doing something that I love to do isn’t sustainable and that I should return to a corporate job where the work is ‘safe’ and covers healthcare.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“My go-to in overcoming these thoughts is to remind myself that I am resourceful and capable of responding to whatever lies ahead, and that the notion that the corporate world offers more security than leading my own business is a myth.”
CEO of Dora L Rankin Consulting; Author of The Heart Sell, a guide for women entrepreneurs seeking financial freedom; coach; growth strategist supporting women to live their purpose and create their highest earnings potential.
“My inner critic loves to compare and despair. Out of nowhere I find myself scrolling and thinking others ‘have made it’ and adding more pressure on myself to figure out why I haven’t. These limiting beliefs fracture my thoughts and feelings and keep me stuck.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Thank goodness for solid coaching and mentorship. But beyond working with my coach, the resolve is always inside the action and the evidence. Limited beliefs stem from fear and misunderstanding of what I choose to believe is real.”
Designer & Brand Author of Design Minded, a boutique brand studio that artfully unites design and writing to help companies achieve their creative potential.
“In the early years of my career, my inner critic was so ingrained that I accepted it fully and without question. I didn’t advocate for myself at all. For salary, I took what was given. For benefits, I asked zero questions. For recognition, I kept my head down. I worked long hours and told myself I was doing it to better myself. But it was really my inner critic telling me I wasn’t good enough, and needed to prove something.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Things clicked when I started my company, Design Minded, more than 15 years ago. Quite frankly, I needed my business to survive financially. That meant placing a fair monetary value on my talent and saying no to time-wasters. The idea of ‘it’s business, not personal’ became a powerful mantra for me. This helps me override limiting beliefs.”
CEO of The Etho, an online marketplace making sustainable living easy.
“While I have many limiting beliefs, the one I struggle with most is the belief that I am not enough as I am, and that my worth is tied solely to what I contribute.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“I created a vision board that I intentionally reflect on every morning to reframe my thinking. And since my kids are my greatest motivators, I included a photo of my daughter to remind me of the legacy I want to leave for her—a belief in her inherent worth. Additionally, I’ve started pausing to notice when this belief surfaces. And while I don’t take immediate action beyond acknowledgment, simply recognizing it helps me shift my mindset in the moment, grounding myself in the understanding that I am inherently valuable just by being here.”
Founder of Marissa Pick Consulting LLC, providing consulting services that focus on digital transformation, content marketing, social media strategy, and personal branding.
“Early in my career, I sometimes struggled with self-doubt. I’d walk into meetings, and I could sense a shift in energy, likely due to my age. As one of the younger members of the marketing management team, I had to work hard to earn respect. However, over time, I proved myself and overcame those initial doubts.”
What’s Helped Me Most:
“Now, I embrace self-doubt. I acknowledge it as a normal part of life and use it as a signal for growth. By challenging negative self-talk and cultivating resilience, I move forward with confidence despite my doubts.”
All individuals featured in this article are members of Dreamers & Doers, an award-winning community that amplifies extraordinary women entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders by securing PR, forging authentic connections, and curating high-impact resources. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and get involved here.
