Episode 82: Strictly’s Janette Manrara on Feeling Good Enough, Imposter Syndrome and the Benefits of a Wiggly Career

Enough, the Podcast

Have you ever wondered if people in the public eye feel bouts of not-enoughness? And if so, how they handle it?

Janette Manrara is a former pro dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, a television show watched by 12-18 million people each week. Janette now hosts the TV programme, It Takes Two, and recently published Tiny Dancer, Big World: How to find fulfilment from the inside out.

In this conversation, Janette and I discuss her unusual entry into professional dance (her “wiggly career”), her moments of not-enoughness resulting from the rejections along the way, and how she finally learned to relate to moments of imposter syndrome and self-doubt (because – spoiler alert – they never go away). There’s a secret insight from Janette in the Outro, so listen to the very end.

(3:18) Mandy’s experience of ballroom dancing.

(6:18) Self-love has been a quest for Janette.

(7:31) Janette shares her career moments of not feeling enough.

(14:11) LA is the most ruthless place on earth for rejection.

(18:57) Janette’s first year on Strictly

(20:56) Her inner critic and not feeling good enough or liked on the show.

(23:26) What Janette would say to her younger self.

(24:42) Lenny Kravitz also has bouts of not-enoughness.

(25:28) Defensive pessimism and a recap of Janette’s points.

(27:28) Imposter syndrome – Janette had no “specialty”

(32:15) Adam Grant’s Overblown Implications Effect, and ‘what are you listening for?’

(34:38) Wiggly careers/skill stacking.

38:52 Emma Reid Turrell: 3 reasons your imposter syndrome might get activated.

(40:20) How Janette handles moments of imposter syndrome.

(44:16) Gratitude (it works, even if it sounds “old hat”).

(47:08) The biggest takeaway Janette readers experience from her book.

(49:00) Enoughness is a practice. Recap of Janette’s practices.

(50:36) Janette’s Brick of Wisdom.

(51:25) Outro and secret bonus insight from Janette on what dance is like for her.

LINKS

Janette Manrara’s book.

Janette on Instagram.

Mandy Lehto on Instagram.

IG video of Lenny Kravitz discussing his moments of self-doubt.

Poet Alix Klingenberg on IG.

Episode 64 on Imposter Syndrome.