How to Beat Imposter Syndrome and Run for Office
7 min
Published: February 12th, 2026
Table of contents
There is No One-Size-Fits-All ‘Political Type’
Breaking Down the Barriers (Real and Imagined)
Say It Out Loud: I’m Running for Office
Get Started
"Nobody would vote for someone like me."
"I don't have the right background."
Our Community Engagement Manager, Yena Balekyani, hears these exact sentiments from folks new to our community. Talented, passionate people who care deeply about their communities but have convinced themselves they're not "political enough" to run for office. Or "too busy." Or have a certain background that they’re sure would be a problem for voters.
But the idea that only certain types of people — the ones with born political charisma and a miraculously inspiring background — should run for office is one of the most damaging myths in our democracy.
We see all the time in our emails, DMs, and comments: person after person writing about how desperately they want political change, how frustrated they are with the current state of things, how they wish someone would step up and do something.
And how that someone couldn't possibly be them.
"I'm not a political person."
Sound familiar? That’s probably the imposter syndrome talking. We need you in this fight, so here’s your guide to running for office and moving past imposter syndrome.
There is No One-Size-Fits-All ‘Political Type’
Let’s get on the same page. What makes someone a politician or a "political type"?
If you're picturing someone who's been planning their political career since student council, who majored in political science, who comes from a political family, or has built themselves from the ground up since birth — sure, that's one type of person who runs for office. But it's far from the only type, and it's not even the type we need most right now.
Your city council likely doesn't need another career politician. It needs the parent who's been fighting for better school funding. It needs the small business owner who deeply understands your community. It needs the healthcare worker at the only medical center in town. It needs the hourly-wage worker who is deeply intimate with what goes away quickly during inflation or government shutdowns. It needs the teacher, the veteran, the volunteer, the person who's been showing up for their community in a thousand small ways without ever calling it "political."
The people making decisions about your schools, your roads, your economy, your housing, and your public safety shouldn’t be using your community as a stepping stone in their path to higher office. They should look like your community and understand your community because they are your community.
Breaking Down the Barriers (Real and Imagined)
If you're feeling that pull toward a run for office but something's holding you back, we’re here to help you unpack what that something actually is.
Some barriers are real and structural:
The financial burden of a campaign.
Caregiving responsibilities that make the time
Concern about how a campaign might affect your current job.
These are legitimate concerns that require practical problem-solving, and they’re exactly the kind of thing we help you work through at NDTC. We’ll walk you through them in under an hour in our signature course, So You Think You Want To Run.
But a lot of the barriers we see the most are internal. They're rooted in imposter syndrome — the assumption that you're not qualified, not connected enough, not "political" enough to run for office. Especially if you're a woman, a person of color, or anyone from a community that hasn't traditionally been represented in political office, imposter syndrome can be deeply ingrained.
But a lot of the qualities you probably doubt in yourself often make the best public servants:
So you don’t love the spotlight? That’s humility.
So you’re not the loudest voice in the room? That’s thoughtful listening.
These aren’t disqualifications; they’re exactly what we need more of in office.
Say It Out Loud: I’m Running for Office
Here's a low-stakes, high-impact first step you can take to test the waters of a run for office: talk about it.
Mention the idea to someone you trust, like your partner, your best friend, or a mentor. Say out loud, "I'm thinking about running for office,” or even float it as “what if I run for office?”
Sometimes simply verbalizing an idea makes it feel more real, more possible. You might be surprised by the reaction you get. The people who know you best often see strengths in you that you can't see in yourself. They might immediately say, "Yes, absolutely, you'd be amazing at this." Or they might ask questions that help you think through what's really holding you back.
If they're skeptical, that's useful information too. It helps you understand what concerns you'll need to address or what case you'll need to make.
Talking about it helps you move from abstract anxiety to concrete problem-solving, and sometimes that’s the biggest mental challenge. Instead of a vague "I could never do that," you can start identifying specific challenges to address.
Get Started
We want to help you explore running.
We recommend starting with our free course, So You Think You Want To Run, or downloading our Getting Your Campaign Started Checklist. It's designed specifically for people exactly where you are right now: curious, maybe a little scared, but willing to consider that this could be the path to creating the change you want to see.
Our Community Engagement team is here to talk you through your decision and offer support while you take your first steps. You can reach them at social@traindems.org. No pressure, just honest information from a team that’s helped over 120,000 people take the leap into politics and grow their careers over 10 years.
We’ll train you – yes, YOU – to run for office. We’ll train you to staff a campaign. We will train you to organize, volunteer, and lead in your community. Every training, course, and resource we offer is 100% free. So if you’re ready to join our 960+ learners who won in 2025, start with So You Think You Want To Run — we’ll take it from there.
