When I was eighteen, I started my first six-figure business. I had always fantasized about being a successful entrepreneur. However, when that day came and I had the external proof that I had “made it,” I didn’t feel successful at all.
I felt like an imposter—that I didn’t deserve it, and that someone else could have done it better.
Imposter syndrome is not uncommon. Seventy percent of high achieving millennials identify feeling this way. As if we have something to prove to ourselves, to our peers, and to our parents.
It’s no wonder only 1 in 3 Millennials say they’re very happy. With most of us stuck on the perpetual treadmill of pursuit, we never get the fulfillment we really want out of life.
So how can we actually find fulfillment?
One man appears to know the answer. His sold-out international events are drawing thousands worldwide to the conversation of deeper fulfillment and purpose.
Meet Connor Beaton, the founder and CEO of Man Talks, a live-events movement to evolve men and women through authenticity, community, purpose, and accountability. Since Beaton launched Man Talks nearly one year ago, it’s grown to accommodate over 30 cities across the US and Canada.
I interviewed Beaton on the latest episode of the Unconventional Life Podcast about his thoughts about finding fulfillment.
Beaton says the key to feeling fulfilled is to approach your life from a broader, wholesome perspective. If professional success is your sole focus, the other departments of your life—like relationships and personal development—will suffer.
When you commit to giving each department of your life the equal attention it deserves, you will truly begin to thrive.
Below, Beaton shares how you can combat imposture syndrome and put this approach into practice:
Surround Yourself With People Who Elevate You
It’s an unfortunate reality that many people don’t have close friends they can depend on. Over half of all men in a relationships study said they have two or fewer people they can talk to about serious matters, while one in eight said they have none.
Feeling closely connected to the people in your life is a huge factor in fulfillment. Social isolation is closely linked to depression, while interconnectedness is shown to increase happiness.
Beaton breaks down three kinds of friends you can have—those who look up to you, those who stand beside you, and those who will call you forward into the person you want to become. The latter is the most important kind, yet also the rarest.
Aim to surround yourself with people who are going to hold you accountable to things you want to accomplish, who will call you out when you aren’t in integrity, and who will challenge you to grow. You’ll find that as you and your friends evolve together, you’ll feel a deeper sense of purpose and community.
