Why do so many capable people still feel like they’re not good enough?

In this episode of Catch The Upswing, Jessica Espinoza speaks with Marijn Wiersma — impact strategist, corporate anthropologist, and co-author of SOS: A Navigation Guide for Women at Work — about self-doubt, perfectionism, confidence, leadership, and the invisible pressures many people carry at work.

From returning to work with a six-week-old baby to leading major projects early in her career, Marijn reflects on the experiences that shaped her voice, her leadership, and her understanding of what it really means to belong.

This is a conversation about imposter syndrome, courage, ambition, identity, and learning to step into your own light — even before you feel fully ready.

🎙️ In this episode, we explore:

• Why high achievers often struggle with self-doubt
• The moment you stop asking “Why me?” — and start asking “Why not me?”
• How perfectionism and guilt shape the way many people work
• Why pushing through is not always resilience
• Why confidence is not something you wait for — but something you build
• What it really means to “have it all” — and why that idea can be misleading
• Practical ways to navigate self-doubt, leadership, and career decisions

🔗 Check out Marijn’s work:

SOS: A Navigation Guide for Women at Work: https://soswomenatwork.org/ (also available on Amazon and bookstores worldwide)

Marijn Wiersma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marijnwiersma/

🔗 Additional resources:

Care Economy Knowledge Hub (Kore Global): https://www.the-care-economy-knowledge-hub.org/⏱️

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:49 Episode Starts: Meet Marijn Wiersma

07:12 Returning to Work With a 6-Week-Old Baby

09:24 The Moment She Realized Her Voice Mattered

15:16 Why Perfectionism and Guilt Shape the Way We Work

19:26 The Fear of Not Being Good Enough

24:09 The Reframe That Changes Imposter Syndrome

30:37 “Why Not Me?”

33:16 Vulnerability, Confidence, and Showing Up

38:24 “If the Mold Is Male, You Never Fully Fit In”

40:45 The Habits That Keep Her Grounded

44:47 The Reality of Balancing Career and Family

48:34 Letting Go of “Having It All”

52:53 Practical Advice for Work and Life

54:44 “Don’t Confuse Grit With Wellbeing”

56:52 Rapid Fire Round

58:45 SOS: A Navigation Guide for Women at Work

📺 Watch more episodes:

Catch The Upswing is a business podcast exploring how people build, lead, and navigate complexity in a rapidly changing world.

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🎥 B-roll credits: Some of the visual material used in the trailer of this episode is courtesy of 2X Global. Original footage supplied by C+A Media, commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

#Leadership #WomenInBusiness #ImposterSyndrome #CareerGrowth #Mindset #GenderEquality #FutureOfWork #CatchTheUpswing