Pilates Thoughtful Tuesday: Turning Doubt into Your Strength

Silhouette of a person removing a dark mask, representing identity, doubt, and personal growth.

There are days and we all have them when a little voice creeps in and says

“Am I doing this right?

"Do I know enough? "

"Am I in the right place?” 

That feeling, often called imposter syndrome, doesn’t just visit new teachers. It can show up even after years or decades of teaching.

I have had those days too, even after 47 years in the Pilates world. Our industry sometimes measures teachers by how close they are to Joseph Pilates’ original work. Labels like authentic, classical, or generational are often used as markers of value. It can feel overwhelming when you are told the closer you are to the source the more right your teaching is.

But here is the thing. Unless you were in the studio with Joseph himself, everything we are teaching is already a second hand story. Even those who worked directly with him brought their own interpretation, their own style, their own understanding.

And maybe that is the real legacy, not to imitate but to innovate. Many of the great teachers we talk about today created their own style. They made the work live and breathe in their hands.

So when those questioning thoughts arise, here is something to try. Shift your focus. Think about the positive changes you bring to your clients’ lives every single day. The way you help someone feel lighter in their body. The way you have helped someone stand taller, breathe more deeply, and move with more ease. These are not small things. They are life changing.

Be true to yourself and your teaching. Know that you will always be learning from your practice, from your clients, and from the many legacy programs out there. But control the narrative in your mind by reminding yourself of the work you are doing and the good you are achieving.

You are not an imposter. You are a teacher. A guide. A lifelong student of movement. That in itself is enough.