Your secret's safe. We all feel like imposters sometimes.

First, let's bust some nagging myths.

Some of us think that "real" professionals don't feel like imposters. That's BS. Even Oscar winners sometimes feel they got lucky. Second, you might think that imposter syndrome means you're humble. Nah, it means you're undermining your own worth. Third, some filmmakers believe if they just work harder, it'll go away. Nope, overworking only fuels the fire. And it rarely goes away.

A personal story about Imposter Syndrome.

We like to take on crazy epic challenges here at Muse, ya? The latest one , let's test the limits of pairing the science of storytelling (a process) with the AI tools and see just how fast we can make a strong story. Plus, the team is going to o it and I'll take my hands off creative or the camera.

I asked my EA, Rae, to start with nothing more than a website and local Portland artist's name. She then had four hours to develop Keywords, a Character Brief, and Storyboards (complete with MidJourney images).

Those creative materials would then go to Evan and Tristan who had a day to interview and do b-roll with the artist - all of this to push the ideas and tools to the limits and see what we could do.

Now, as Evan got set to direct her first piece with Muse (note she has been with us for some time, we've travelled to some dozen countries together and she knows her stuff, but this was her directorial debut with us) , she was quite nervous. She mentioned not knowing if she could do it. And she was quite worried she might fail or it might not be good enough.

As much as I know she fully had this handled, I also get how she feels.

I often felt that way with The Britto Doc. Interviewing these big celebs, taking on a sizable budget, trying to deliver something where we know we'd love to land on Netflix - it's a lot to ask, and there are a lot of moments of 'can I actually do this?'

This, my friends, is Imposter Syndrome. And according to some recent research by the APA, up to 82% of folks may experience this.

Even Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, and Jordan Peele.

"I still have pretty much the same fears I had as a kid. I'm not sure I'd want to be without them... if I had no doubts, there'd be no stories." - Steven Spielberg

"You think, 'Why would anyone want to see me again in a movie? And I don't know how to act anyway, so why am I doing this?'" - Meryl Streep

"There's self-doubt, but you use it as fuel to fulfill what you see as a potential for telling a meaningful story." - Jordan Peele

Let's briefly look at what Imposter Syndrome is and some ways we can battle it as filmmakers.

First, what is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is that nagging feeling that you're not as skilled, talented, or deserving as people think you are. It's like you're wearing a mask and, any moment, someone's gonna pull it off and reveal you as a "fraud". In the filmmaking world, this can be seriously damaging. Imagine second-guessing every edit, fretting over each pitch, or worse, avoiding bigger projects 'cause you feel like you don't measure up. It keeps you from charging what you're worth and from asserting your creative vision, essentially trapping you in a cycle of underachievement.

Now, what can we do about it?

Here are some tactics I've found helpful for beating this beast:

Own Your Success: Make a "brag file" with positive feedback, awards, or anything that proves you're good at what you do. When doubt strikes, open that file.

Find Your Tribe: Surround yourself with people who push you to be better, not those who feed your insecurities. We hope that the Muse community can offer part of that for you.

Talk It Out: Open up about your feelings to trusted friends or mentors. Often, saying it out loud strips it of its power.

Challenge Negative Thoughts: Whenever a thought like "I can't do this" pops up, flip it. Ask, "What evidence is there that I can't?" Chances are, you won't find much.

Make a Plan: When you have a big project coming up, step back and get SUPER intentional. Break down what you know and what you don;t know. Fill in the blanks, as much as you can on what you don't know. Keep pushing to develop your understanding - the more clarity, the more room to fight the nagging feelings.

The key is to recognize the syndrome, debunk its myths, and actively combat it. Trust me, your storytelling and your career will thank you. This journey isn't easy, but we're in it together. Onward, friends!

Above all else, don't settle for average. That's not the filmmaker you want to be or why you got into this. You've got stories to tell, so go tell them unapologetically.

From one creative battling imposter syndrome to another - we've got this :)

• Patrick