I came across an old episodes of a podcast called The Imposterous.
The idea’s simple- they interview creatives about the topic of imposter syndrome, to reassure them that they’re valued and that they belong.
Ironically, the Nils Leonard episode dispenses with that conceit pretty fast:
"I’m not sure creatives do want to belong. I think they want to stand out, do the weird thing, be unique,"
– Nils Leonard
He talks of his time working as an ad agency designer, and the frustrations that led him and his co-founders to start Uncommon, and agency that does most things differently.
The main part is doing work that stands out- not so it will be accepted and awarded (which it is), but so it will be seen.
Stop sanding down your awkward edges and be satisfied to be weird.
The bits that don’t fit are the only ones worth sharing.