The more I'm pushed in a position of leadership and I know I have to be the mouthpiece for so many other people who can't speak for themselves, the more confidence I'm gaining.
Viola DavisRead
It feels like my hard work has paid off, but at the same time, I still have the impostor, you know, syndrome. I still feel like I'm going to wake up, and everybody's going to see me for the hack I am.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Even with achievements, self-doubt can linger, leading one to feel like a fraud.
Viola Davis expresses a common sentiment experienced by many successful individuals, known as impostor syndrome. Despite external validation and the fruits of hard work, she feels an internal struggle with self-doubt, fearing that others will eventually recognize her perceived inadequacies and shortcomings, highlighting the psychological barriers that can accompany success.
Themes
Impostor SyndromeSelf-DoubtHard WorkSuccessRecognition
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about overcoming challenges, you might say this quote to illustrate the ongoing struggle many face with self-perception.
More from Viola Davis
All quotes →What excites me is just taking some time to breathe in life. The mundane is very exciting.
Viola DavisRead
I don't care if someone is new to acting or experienced in acting: you always learn something from them. It's just like people in life - whether they're young or middle-aged or old, you always learn something from someone.
Viola DavisRead
I don't see a lot of narratives written where a woman who looks like me gets to be beautiful and sexualized and upwardly mobile, middle-class, funny, quirky. They're very seldom written.
Viola DavisRead
And that's what people want to see when they go to the theater. I believe at the end of the day, they want to see themselves - parts of their lives they can recognize. And I feel if I can achieve that, it's pretty spectacular.
Viola DavisRead
There's no prerequisites to worthiness. You're born worthy, and I think that's a message a lot of women need to hear.
Viola DavisRead
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