What if the self-doubt you've been trying to fix is actually proof you care? And what if the harder you work to outrun it, the worse it gets?

In this episode, Frank sits down with Dr. Jill Stoddard — clinical psychologist, TEDx speaker, ACT trainer, and author of Be Mighty and Brace No More — to unpack why imposter syndrome is misnamed, misunderstood, and why the conventional advice to "just build your confidence" tends to backfire for most people.

Dr. Stoddard makes the case that psychological flexibility — not confidence — is the real antidote to self-doubt, fear, and avoidance.

Topics covered:

  • Why "imposter syndrome" is a flawed term — and what the research actually says
  • The gap trap: why waiting until you feel ready keeps you stuck
  • How acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) builds resilience without toxic positivity
  • Pain reprocessing therapy — how the brain creates chronic pain and how to rewire it
  • Speaking truth to power: Jill's personal story and her upcoming podcast We the Sunlight
  • Why discomfort practiced in small ways builds capacity for the big moments

🎙️ This is Episode53 of the Mindform Podcast, hosted by Frank Lawton.

🔗 Find Dr. Jill Stoddard:

Mindform is an exclusive membership platform that gives you access to an ever-expanding toolkit for mental mastery and a community of passionate psychitects. Apply to join Mindform or get the free Psychitect's Toolkit at https://mindform.io/podcast

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