Episode 5

full
Published on:

7th Jan 2026

Live Coaching: Imposter Syndrome & The Identity Shift Strategy (Part 1)

Ever get anxiety and imposter syndrome before a big meeting? Listen to this real coaching session to learn how to turn your inner critic into your greatest asset using Identity Shifting.

When we step up from “Doer” to “Leader,” we are constantly putting ourselves in newer and bigger situations.

However, our ego doesn’t like that, and it does its best to sabotage what we really want.

You can feel exposed, anxious, and ready to run. We call this the "Confronted Self"—and if you let it drive, you will lose the opportunity.

In this special "fly-on-the-wall" episode, Michael coaches Penny, a high-potential leader paralyzed by fear just 24 hours before a massive promotion interview.

You will hear real-time Identity Work (Psychosynthesis) to separate the fear from the leader, transforming anxiety into grounded presence.

 

In this episode, you will learn:

-The Ego Paradox: Why your brain treats a promotion like a life-threatening event (and how to calm it down).

-Identity Shifting: How to move from your "Confronted" personality to your "Positive" personality in seconds.

-Somatic Grounding: A physical technique using your hands to stop the "waffle" and regain focus during high-pressure meetings.

-The "Experiment" Reframe: How to lower the stakes so you can perform at your highest level.

 

Coming Up in Part 2: This is just the mindset foundation. Make sure you are subscribed for next week’s episode, where we turn the recording back on to tackle the strategy. We’ll run a mock interview, fix Penny's "waffle" habit, and build her strategic answers from scratch.

 

The Challenge: Identify your "Stress Persona" (who shows up when you are scared) and your "Leader Persona" (who shows up when you are confident).

Next time you feel the "Stress Persona" taking the wheel, use a physical anchor—like a deep breath or squeezing your hands—to physically signal your brain to switch back to the Leader.

 

Resources:

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Leadership Mindset 2.0

About the Podcast

Leadership Mindset 2.0
Transform From Tactical Doer to Strategic Leader: The Psychology of Scaling for Executives & Entrepreneurs
Leadership Mindset 2.0 is the definitive playbook for executives and entrepreneurs ready to break free from the "Doer Trap" and scale their business using psychology and strategy.

Host R. Michael Anderson has scaled multiple software companies to the Inc. 5000 list and was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, as a 2x Executive Coach of the Year, he uses that experience to help high-performers transform from Tactical Operators into Strategic Leaders.

In this podcast, Michael blends cutting-edge neuroscience, emotional intelligence (EQ), and battle-tested business strategy to help you overcome burnout, imposter syndrome, and the "Leadership Incompetence Trap" so you can lead with clarity and confidence.

Two New Episodes Every Week which include a mix of:
• Strategy: Neuroscience frameworks & leadership tactics to start your week.
• Mentorship: Live Q&A and specific answers to your leadership challenges.
• Coaching: A fly-on-the-wall look at real, unscripted executive coaching sessions as Michael helps leaders break through their blind spots live.
• Masterclasses: Listen in as Michael and guests teach valuable leadership and management skills to a real-life audience.

Topics include: The Psychology of Scaling, Burnout Prevention, Strategic Planning, Executive Coaching, and Emotional Intelligence.

About your host

Profile picture for R. Michael Anderson

R. Michael Anderson

R. Michael Anderson, MBA, MA has a striking combination that creates truly impactful transformation in leaders – he has the real-life business success of founding, scaling and exiting three software companies, plus the educational background of a Masters Degree in Psychology.



This combination gives him the unique ability to connect to other leaders as a peer, then teaches evidence-based leadership skills that genuinely drive behaviour and performance.