Lauren Graham Gets Super Real About Imposter Syndrome In This Excerpt From Her New Book

For almost 20 years, we've watched Lauren Graham play strong mother figures on screen — first as the witty and fierce Lorelai Gilmore on Gilmore Girls, then as Sarah Braverman on Parenthood — so it's no surprise that some of us already equate Graham with these wise mothering figures. And with the release of her first memoir Talking As Fast As I Can in 2016, Graham herself seemed to start embracing that fact, offering personal anecdotes about her struggles with making it as an actress, finding lasting love after years of disastrous dating, and much more. Now in her recent release, In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It, Graham is imparting her hard-won wisdom again — and Bustle has an exclusive excerpt from the audiobook below!

In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It is an expansion of the 2017 commencement speech she gave at her hometown Langley High, in which Graham reflects on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here and now. In her usual relatable and hilarious voice, Graham reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes us or what we’ve yet to achieve. Basically, if you're looking for an uplifting read to take you into the rest of 2018, this is definitely it.

In the audiobook excerpt below, Graham relates the story of her first big role on Broadway in Guys & Dolls — and the self-doubt that threatened to keep her from fully enjoying her success, even with years of experience under her belt.

I know I can definitely relate to that same knee-jerk reaction to imposter syndrome, even after I've been in my current career path for almost a decade — and I'm sure that whatever work you do, whatever creative level you've reached, you've probably found yourself feeling the same way at one point or another. And since we know that Graham went on to become one of the most well-known and beloved actresses of the past 20 years...I'm pretty sure we're all in for some seriously valuable advice about this.

In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It by Lauren Graham, $10, Amazon

So whether you're a recent graduate trying to figure out what to do with their post-school years, or a professional heading into the next era of your career, or you're just looking for some general life inspiration, Graham has got something here for you. In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It is out on shelves and audiobook right now, so you're only one step away from the wisdom you need to make the most out of 2018 and beyond.