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Michelle Obama says that she experiences imposter syndrome and that even she still sometimes feels like a fraud.
Speaking in London on Monday, Obama said that it's a feeling that never goes away, even with experience or fame.
When asked by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie how it feels to be seen as a "symbol of hope," Obama said: "I still have a little impostor syndrome, it never goes away, that you're actually listening to me.
"It doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me that seriously."
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Imposter syndrome is a term used to describe when people feel inadequate, despite their success.
Read More: Imposter syndrome can make the best employees feel like a fraud — here's why it should be embraced
According to the BBC , Obama said that the feeling is a common one, and that she wanted to talk about it to make them feel less alone and more confident.
"What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is.
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"If I'm giving people hope, then that is a responsibility, so I have to make sure that I am accountable," she said.
"We don't have any choice but to make sure we elders are giving our young people a reason to hope."
Obama also shared one of her biggest fears from her time as first lady: falling over on-camera and becoming a meme.
She said that her last thought before she walks on any stage is "don't fall."
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See Also:
- Michelle Obama says she was terrified of falling over on camera: 'One of my primary goals for the eight years was to never become a meme'
- Michelle Obama is cancelling her book tour stops in Paris and Berlin to attend President George H.W. Bush's funeral
- Michelle Obama on Sheryl Sandberg's 'lean in' strategy: 'That s--- doesn't work all the time'