Why Not Me? Owning Your Space & Rising Higher

Imposter syndrome can make even the most accomplished individuals feel like they don’t belong, but the key to overcoming it is shifting from Why me? to Why not me? By choosing to own your space, surround yourself with the right people, and reject self-doubt, you can rise into the life you were meant to live.

Erica Marchant

2/1/20252 min read

Do Something Great neon sign
Do Something Great neon sign

Why Not Me? Owning Your Space & Rising Higher

Have you ever walked into a room full of accomplished, capable individuals and felt like you didn’t belong? Even though you’ve worked just as hard, achieved just as much, and earned your seat at the table, that creeping self-doubt still tries to pull you down. That’s imposter syndrome—an insidious voice that, if left unchecked, will convince you that you’re not enough.

Even after a decade of failing forward and building success, I still experience it. The difference now? It no longer defines me.

Growing Up in the Wrong Rooms
I grew up surrounded by poverty and addiction. In the world I knew, dreams were just something you had in your sleep. Survival was the priority, not ambition. I learned early on that stepping out of place, wanting more, or reaching for something bigger only led to disappointment. So, when it was time to build my future, I took the safe route. I got a job I knew I couldn’t fail at—one that paid the bills but never pushed me beyond my limits.

And for a while, that felt like enough. But deep down, I knew I was meant for something more.

How Imposter Syndrome Held Me Back
Even when I finally stepped out on my own, imposter syndrome had a tight grip on me. I constantly felt like I didn’t belong, that I wasn’t good enough, that success was meant for other people—not me. Even after building a successful business, writing books, and stepping onto stages, that nagging voice would creep in.

Recently, I joined a powerful networking group full of highly successful, driven entrepreneurs. And for a moment, that old voice whispered: How am I here? Me… little ole me? But then, I caught myself. That wasn’t truth—that was a trauma response, a mindset built from years of being told to stay small.

Asking ‘Why Not Me?’
Everything changed when I stopped asking, Why me?—why did I grow up in chaos, why did I have to fight so hard, why did success feel out of reach?—and started asking, Why NOT me? Why shouldn’t I take up space in these rooms? Why shouldn’t I chase my dreams like everyone else?

For too long, I stayed in the wrong rooms—where people looked down on me for wanting more. Now, I surround myself with those who inspire me to rise. The truth is, we don’t just rise to our level of talent—we rise or fall to the level of those we surround ourselves with.

So now, I choose to rise. And so can you.

Wherever you are in your journey, know this: You belong in the room. You worked for it, you fought for it, and you deserve to take up space.

Let’s rise together.