This is for all the women I’ve mentored over the years:

Let me share a liberating truth about power—about those gleaming boardrooms and executive suites that seem to float above the world like distant castles in the sky. Those spaces that make your pulse quicken and your inner voice whisper: “Am I ready? Do I belong?”

Here’s what I’ve discovered about these sanctums of influence: At every single table—whether it’s a Fortune 500 boardroom or a prestigious university classroom—you’ll find an unchanging pattern that will forever change how you see power.

Look around that table. Ten percent of the people there are simply dazzling. Their minds are brilliant lightning storms, their insights so sharp they slice through complexity like a blade through silk. They’re the ones who make you think, “So this is what greatness looks like.”

But here’s the revelation that will set you free: Another ten percent are utterly clueless. Their presence defies logic, as if they wandered into Olympus by accident and everyone’s too polite to mention it. You’ll look at them and think, “How in the world did they get here?” It’s a mystery that will never be solved.

And the remaining eighty percent? Perfectly average. Neither spectacular nor wanting. They’re simply people who showed up, persisted, and claimed their space. They’re living proof that excellence isn’t a prerequisite for presence—showing up is.

This pattern repeats at every level. Every. Single. Level. From your first management position to the C-suite, from local politics to global leadership.

So the next time imposter syndrome wraps its cold fingers around your confidence, remember this: That seat at the table isn’t some mythical throne reserved for an elite, extraordinary few. It’s a chair, nothing more, nothing less. And you—with your unique perspective, your hard-won wisdom, your determination to make a difference—have every right to pull it up and sit down.

Your presence at that table isn’t just about you. It’s about every woman coming up behind you who needs to see what’s possible. It’s about changing the conversation, bringing fresh eyes to old problems, and maybe even pointing out when the emperor has no clothes.

Walk into that room with your head high. Speak your mind with conviction. Take up space unapologetically. Because here’s the ultimate truth: That intimidating table needs your voice far more than you need its validation.

You belong there. Not someday. Not when you’re perfect. Now.