Fear of Being Seen: You Don’t Need to Be an Expert to Have a Voice
by Char
|
Feb 7, 2026
|
Archetypes
Series
Archetypes
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If you’ve ever felt like you had something to say but stopped yourself because you’re “not ready yet”, you may want to read this article.
Maybe you’re learning something new. Maybe you’re changing direction. Maybe you’re becoming someone you don’t fully recognize yet.
And somewhere along the way, a quiet belief settled in:
I’ll speak once I’m legitimate.
Here, I'm talking about the fear of being seen, the pressure of expert culture, and why being a beginner is not a flaw, but often your greatest strength. Especially if you’re multipotentialite, multi‑passionate, or constantly told you have too many interests.
“Being Ready” Is Not a Real Thing
I'm sure we've all been growing up hearing the same linear story about growth:
📚 First, you learn
🎓 Then, you master
🗣️ Then, and only then, you’re allowed to share
It sounds reasonable. It feels safe.
But, first of all, being ready is a moving target. And also, most people don’t wait because they’re still learning. They wait because being seen before excellence feels risky.
And what we often call “not ready” is actually:
😶🌫️ fear
🧼 perfectionism
👀 social comparison
Readiness is rarely internal. It’s usually a social construct… a line we think others have drawn, even when they haven’t.
I don’t think most people are scared of being bad. I think they’re scared of being seen before they’re excellent.
And so they stay quiet. Sometimes for years.
I'm sure we've all been growing up hearing the same linear story about growth:
📚 First, you learn
🎓 Then, you master
🗣️ Then, and only then, you’re allowed to share
It sounds reasonable. It feels safe.
But, first of all, being ready is a moving target. And also, most people don’t wait because they’re still learning. They wait because being seen before excellence feels risky.
And what we often call “not ready” is actually:
😶🌫️ fear
🧼 perfectionism
👀 social comparison
Readiness is rarely internal. It’s usually a social construct… a line we think others have drawn, even when they haven’t.
I don’t think most people are scared of being bad. I think they’re scared of being seen before they’re excellent.
And so they stay quiet. Sometimes for years.
Impostor Syndrome Isn’t About Lack of Skill
Impostor syndrome is everywhere. It’s common among high achievers, especially among women. And it’s amplified for multipotentialites.
Here’s why. If you’re a multipotentialite or a multi‑passionate person, you often find yourself in this strange internal mismatch:
You are competent in many areas
But what you want to share sits outside your comfort zone
Internally, it sounds like:
I know I’m capable…
But I’m a beginner here.
That tension creates guilt, self‑doubt, and the recurring thought: Who am I to talk?
And for the past few years, I've been working on internalizing a reframe most people miss:
Feeling like an impostor often doesn’t mean you lack skills. It means you’re brave enough to keep growing.
Impostor syndrome is not a signal to stop. It’s often a signal that you’re expanding.
Impostor syndrome is everywhere. It’s common among high achievers, especially among women. And it’s amplified for multipotentialites.
Here’s why. If you’re a multipotentialite or a multi‑passionate person, you often find yourself in this strange internal mismatch:
You are competent in many areas
But what you want to share sits outside your comfort zone
Internally, it sounds like:
I know I’m capable…
But I’m a beginner here.
That tension creates guilt, self‑doubt, and the recurring thought: Who am I to talk?
And for the past few years, I've been working on internalizing a reframe most people miss:
Feeling like an impostor often doesn’t mean you lack skills. It means you’re brave enough to keep growing.
Impostor syndrome is not a signal to stop. It’s often a signal that you’re expanding.
You Don’t Have to Choose Between Beginner or Expert
Our culture loves clean identities.
Expert. Beginner. Amateur. Professional.
But real humans don’t fit neatly into one box. You don’t suddenly become illegitimate because you’re not an expert. You’re simply legitimate at a different depth.
To someone at 0%, someone at 15% already is the expert. Just not the expert for everyone.
The 0% → 15% Rule
Here’s a simple framework that changes everything. You don’t need to be at 100% to share. Sometimes, being at 15% is more than enough.
If you’re at 15%, you can help someone at 0%
You cannot help someone at 70%
The real question is:
Is that actually a problem?
No. Because not everyone needs to go to 100%. And not everyone needs the same guide. Waiting until you can help everyone usually means helping no one.
Our culture loves clean identities.
Expert. Beginner. Amateur. Professional.
But real humans don’t fit neatly into one box. You don’t suddenly become illegitimate because you’re not an expert. You’re simply legitimate at a different depth.
To someone at 0%, someone at 15% already is the expert. Just not the expert for everyone.
The 0% → 15% Rule
Here’s a simple framework that changes everything. You don’t need to be at 100% to share. Sometimes, being at 15% is more than enough.
If you’re at 15%, you can help someone at 0%
You cannot help someone at 70%
The real question is:
Is that actually a problem?
No. Because not everyone needs to go to 100%. And not everyone needs the same guide. Waiting until you can help everyone usually means helping no one.
Why Beginners Are Sometimes More Legitimate Than Experts
Someone close to the beginning often has an advantage experts no longer have.
Beginners remember:
😬 the fears
🌀 the confusion
🧱 the resistance
💔 the emotional blocks
They haven’t forgotten what it feels like to start.
They speak the same language.
Experts often teach the destination. Beginners teach the journey.
Experts compress steps unconsciously. Beginners explain the messy middle. And the messy middle is where most people quit. That knowledge is priceless.
That part of expertise we rarely talk about. Over time, deep experts often lose access to the beginner’s reality. Sometimes they forget what it felt like to be at zero. Sometimes they never experienced it the same way.
Think about dance teachers who’ve been dancing since childhood, saying:
Come on, it’s easy. Just let go.
For many adults, especially those with a complicated relationship to their body, letting go is the hardest part!
That gap can make beginners feel broken, even though they're not.
Someone close to the beginning often has an advantage experts no longer have.
Beginners remember:
😬 the fears
🌀 the confusion
🧱 the resistance
💔 the emotional blocks
They haven’t forgotten what it feels like to start.
They speak the same language.
Experts often teach the destination. Beginners teach the journey.
Experts compress steps unconsciously. Beginners explain the messy middle. And the messy middle is where most people quit. That knowledge is priceless.
That part of expertise we rarely talk about. Over time, deep experts often lose access to the beginner’s reality. Sometimes they forget what it felt like to be at zero. Sometimes they never experienced it the same way.
Think about dance teachers who’ve been dancing since childhood, saying:
Come on, it’s easy. Just let go.
For many adults, especially those with a complicated relationship to their body, letting go is the hardest part!
That gap can make beginners feel broken, even though they're not.
A Necessary Clarification About Real Expertise
Some fields absolutely require deep expertise, of course!
We are all very happy that:
surgeons are not at 15% of knowledge
engineers know what they’re doing when they build bridges
medical professionals are actual experts
This is not about dismissing expertise.
Experts are essential. Beginners are essential.
They just serve different purposes.
There are also topics, like politics, that require nuance and depth. In those areas, pretending to have certainty is often more dangerous than admitting you’re still learning.
The real issue isn’t beginners sharing their journey. It’s people pretending to be experts when they’re not.
Some fields absolutely require deep expertise, of course!
We are all very happy that:
surgeons are not at 15% of knowledge
engineers know what they’re doing when they build bridges
medical professionals are actual experts
This is not about dismissing expertise.
Experts are essential. Beginners are essential.
They just serve different purposes.
There are also topics, like politics, that require nuance and depth. In those areas, pretending to have certainty is often more dangerous than admitting you’re still learning.
The real issue isn’t beginners sharing their journey. It’s people pretending to be experts when they’re not.
“If I’m Not an Expert, I Have No Voice”
This belief runs deep. Many people genuinely think they have no credibility, no legitimacy, and no right to speak, unless they’re experts.
The Problem With Expert Culture
Our society glorifies:
specialization
titles
certifications
extreme expertise
But credibility doesn’t only come from perfection or mastery.
Credibility also comes from:
Honesty
lived experience
clarity about where you stand
You don’t lose credibility by saying “I’m still learning.”
You lose credibility by pretending you’re not.
This belief runs deep. Many people genuinely think they have no credibility, no legitimacy, and no right to speak, unless they’re experts.
The Problem With Expert Culture
Our society glorifies:
specialization
titles
certifications
extreme expertise
But credibility doesn’t only come from perfection or mastery.
Credibility also comes from:
Honesty
lived experience
clarity about where you stand
You don’t lose credibility by saying “I’m still learning.”
You lose credibility by pretending you’re not.
Multipotentiality Is a Quiet Superpower
Very few people actually understand how things connect across domains. I may not be a deep expert in one single area.
But I’ve built:
analytical skills (strategy consulting)
operational skills (sales, field work)
marketing skills (pitch decks, communication, personal brand)
technical skills (video editing, web development, SEO)
And not being an expert didn’t slow me down. It made me autonomous.
Multipotentialites connect dots, translate between worlds, adapt quickly, move fast, and so much more.
Depth is powerful. But so is range.
You don’t need to be an expert. You need to be honest about where you are.
Sometimes, what people need is not expertise. Sometimes, it's proximity. They need to see you becoming.
So if you’re learning, if you’re growing, if you’re not at the finish line yet… Please don’t wait to be done before you start sharing.
Very few people actually understand how things connect across domains. I may not be a deep expert in one single area.
But I’ve built:
analytical skills (strategy consulting)
operational skills (sales, field work)
marketing skills (pitch decks, communication, personal brand)
technical skills (video editing, web development, SEO)
And not being an expert didn’t slow me down. It made me autonomous.
Multipotentialites connect dots, translate between worlds, adapt quickly, move fast, and so much more.
Depth is powerful. But so is range.
You don’t need to be an expert. You need to be honest about where you are.
Sometimes, what people need is not expertise. Sometimes, it's proximity. They need to see you becoming.
So if you’re learning, if you’re growing, if you’re not at the finish line yet… Please don’t wait to be done before you start sharing.
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This is just the start!
Be part of The Bold Beginner community
Be a part of the early days. I’ll share occasional reflections, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and what I’m building… straight to your inbox, as it grows.
By Registering you agree to the
privacy policy.