Congratulations! I think one thing that helps is remembering that the only people who are imposters are the people who claim to do things they can’t do, know things they don’t know, or have rank that they weren’t given by a credible source. As long as you keep yourself honest then there’s nothing to worry about!

I'll let you know if that ever happens. 20 years of grappling, no signs of impostor syndrome going away.

Just keep strapping that bad boy on. Eventually you’ll stop worrying about it. Then you can get out of your head and back on the mats.

Congrats on the belt.

Congratulations on the black belt. I’ve been a brown belt for a year and a half and still don’t feel adequate - doesn’t help that our coach has created a team of MONSTER white and blue belts 😂😂

But, I have faith in my coaches decision.

Congrats on your promotion!

I guess I never really felt this way. I attribute most of this to the fact that I was promoted fairly slowly: it took me 17+yrs to get to bb. Also, I was fairly accomplished in my own right by the time it came to receiving my bb. So, by this time, I felt fairly ready.

While I had some success in competition during my colored belts, I was nervous competing as a newly minted black belt. I felt certain everyone was going to point, laugh and tell me what I wasn’t ready. During my first match as a black belt, I was paired up with a 4th degree black belt who’d been a black belt as long as I’d been training.

I fought relaxed and the match went back and forth until I was able to secure an armbar. Once he tapped, I felt a rush of relief. “I do belong here,” was the first thought in my head.

Train, do the work and put yourself out there.

Win or lose, it doesn’t matter as long as you keep fighting.

I am with Helio. Put a white belt on for life. You now know that you do not even know what you do not know. Maybe when I get my second stripe I will feel worthy. 😁

I think imposter syndrome sets in when you are a white belt.
You see all these belts above you doing all these crazy moves and submissions and you’re just overwhelmed, and this really sets the standard for you. They seem like wizards and ninjas from your viewpoint. time goes on things get easier sometimes harder. But you always respect the guys from the beginning because they were so good. Or at least from your viewpoint, they were. When you become a Blackbelt yourself, you think about your first day on the mats, and I think we have a tendency to compare ourselves with the black belts of the past, those guys who beat us up on the first day. The problem is your mixing perspectives. You were a white belt with white belt perspective. So of course everything looked pretty crazy. But just know those white belts that are on the mat with you are doing the exact same thing with you right now.

Input from a slightly different perspective with nothing to do with BJJ, but a similar timeline.

I think with any achievement most people have a few come to Jesus moments when they realize they really did it and sometimes later that they really deserved it. I'll give you an example of both for me. In 2011 I was appointed a wing commander in Civil Air Patrol. That basically means I was in charge of everything the organization did in my state and I had about 600 people, 9 aircraft, 15 ground vehicles, and all the supporting equipment to get our work done. For the first few weeks after my appointment it didn't seem real. Then one day I was at an emergency management conference and my phone rang. It was my director of operations telling me we had a request from the state for support in an emergency search and rescue operation. This authorization usually comes directly from the Air Force, but in an emergency a wing commander can approve the assets to get the ball rolling. I literally told my DO "that sounds like a good use of assets, you should call the wing commander for approval." About the time I finished the sentence I realized that it was my call. I was the wing commander. At that moment I realized it was real.

Even after that I always questioned whether or not I was the right person for the job and if I was really qualified. It didn't feel like it. And it didn't help that I was really young for the job. Most people that get it are in their 50s or 60s with many in their 70s. I was 34. How could I possibly be ready to do this job that I had seen done really poorly by people with double the experience? But I survived and we did well. When I finished the assignment in 2015 I hadn't gotten myself in any real trouble, the wing was in better shape than I left it, and people were actually sad to see me leave. I had been the right person for the job. I found out later that my selection by the board had been unanimous and nobody else was really close. Turns out everybody that mattered except me realized I was ready and able to get it done.

At some point you just have to trust the process and accept that you wouldn't be where you are if it wasn't the right place for you to be.

There's a great recent episode of BJJ Mental Models with Drew Foster on this exact subject, I actually listened to it last night on the drive to another club for a seminar. I feel imposter syndrome a fair bit but use it as the fire to constantly evolve my understanding and work on areas of improvement. A great takeaway from the BJJMM podcast was Steve Kwan relating what his coach said. Heres the link to the episode. https://youtu.be/mfZcKm4j[...]AJrvrwq9ma


The other thing to remember is we are not the most objective perspective in this. Our coaches have a better external framing of our growth and if they are legit and viewed as such in the BJJ community then trust their judgement!

At the end of the day it’s only a game, so long as you’re not impersonating a doctor or an airline pilot who cares?

I say fake it till you make it...

I prefer to think of it from the perspective that a lot of times Impostor syndrome in BJJ starts when the Black Belt becomes a mythological thing that doesn't really exist. It's a piece of cloth but to many it starts to symbolize perfection and since we can never achieve perfection you will feel like an impostor.

I always thought the belts were meaningless so it never dawned on me that I had to "live up" to the belt.

I like this approach. Interesting idea.

Same...

Agreed

My imposter syndrome returns every time I get tapped by a lower belt. I think I should stick to rolling with my own level or higher lol.

I believe that earning/deserving your black belt is an infinite journey. Everyone has a unique story/motivation for being on the mats. Imposter syndrome certainly creeps in here and there, and I believe it always will. It was stronger the day after I received my black belt, and now over a year after being promoted, I still deal with it occasionally. However, a lot of time that's just your ego. One of the best qualities about jiu-jitsu is its honesty. There's no magic bestowed upon the wearer, so just work every single day to be a solid representative - and that isn't decided upon by wins/losses.

The imposter syndrome should go away the very moment Johan Nyh verifies your belt on the beltchecker (it's valid for all the belts, not just for the black belt). Oss!

true

Imposter syndrome can definitely happen for some when they first receive their black belt (or any belt, for that matter)...

Relatively speaking, you are a "white belt" all over again within the rankings of "all" black, coral, and red belts...

Just keep in mind what you're journey has been, understand that you still know more about Jiu-Jitsu than 99.9999% of the planet EVER will, and have learned more than 99% of all those who have ever dared to actually train and get on the mats have ever learned... (active and inactive lower belts, combined).

At the end of the day, you really just need to trust your own Professor's judgement... he/she has likely been doing this Jiu-Jitsu thing a LOT longer than you have, and wouldn't have promoted you without the wisdom to know that you earned it.

I think if I manage to win the Mudials and Abu Dhabi in the same year, I'll stop having imposter syndrome. So... that will be pretty much never.

It helps to realize that we're all good at slightly different things as black belts. Some people are brilliant teachers who are walking encyclopedias of martial arts knowledge. Others are incredible combat athletes. I never feel like an imposter as an instructor, but every time I spar with a pro fighter, I feel like a total fake. :)

Congrats on your black belt!

I had 30 minutes of sheer terror and panic back in December 2021, the day after I quit my job to teach full time - I then pulled myself together, had strong drink and then resolved to continue working very hard on my craft.

I find the more training, studying, etc I do, the less your imposter syndrome bothers you - work your arse off, trust the process, and you'll be grand.

I am an avid accountability practitioner. I detail my daily practices and video 98 % of my training. When I look at the data after each promotion it seems I work harder. I got my Strap last year in October. And again I am on track to doing more work than at Brownbelt. I think that’s the key. Either worry or work.

Kinda work? Well… the magic we seek is hidden in the dark work we avoid so… find those dark places and light them up!!! .

I don't think it ever goes away, you'll have good days/weeks when everything you do and every roll you have feel great and as such you will feel right in the belt you wear.
Then you will have days/weeks when things don't work and rolls feel like hell, then the imposter demons will surface again forcing you to doubt yourself again.
Remember you were promoted by someone who deemed you fit and ready to wear that belt, ride high on the good days and battle through the rough ones.

First off congratulations and welcome to the club! Honestly I don't think it ever goes away. I got my Black Belt in 2016 and I still feel like I don't deserve it. I just try to live up to it everyday.

Just enjoy training and keep growing. Im not that Black belt that says 'belts dont matter', because they do. But dont overthink it.

I look forward to the day this happens! 😅

Any day now, I expect to be exposed as an imposter. C’est la vie.

Brother. Your accomplishments and path don’t lie. Your teammates and opponents over the years know and respect you. I hurt c 1 and 2 last year. I have recently returned to helping my teammates. I felt like an imposter cause I’m really limited physically. But I was surprised at the knowledge that I’ve been able to share with the young guys. Also, I still move better than most of my teammates during drilling this really surprised me cause of the muscle weakness. But the years of drilling guard passes really stuck. Bottom line is your technique and skills will verify your belt. In my opinion.