What is Imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome is when someone feels like they are not as good at something as other people think they are. Even if they have evidence to prove that they are good at something, they still feel like they are a fraud and could be found out at any moment. They may think that their success was due to luck or timing, rather than their skills or abilities. This can lead to feelings of self-doubt, fear, and insecurity, even when there is no reason to feel that way. It's a common experience that many people go through, especially those who are high achievers and hold themselves to high standards.
A new employee at a company might feel like they don't belong, even though they were hired for a specific job and have the necessary skills and qualifications. They might worry that they will be exposed as a fraud or that they are not as capable as their coworkers, even if their performance reviews are positive.
Another scenario would be, imagine you have a friend who likes to draw pictures. She's good at it and everyone tells her how great her drawings are. But even though everyone thinks her drawings are awesome, she still feels like she's not good enough.
She's so worried about making mistakes or not doing something perfectly that she might not even try to draw something new. She's afraid that if she tries and doesn't do a good job, people will think she's not good at drawing after all.
That's kind of what it's like for someone with imposter syndrome who has a fear of failure. They might not want to try new things or take risks because they're scared of making mistakes or failing. Even if they have evidence that they're really good at something, like winning an award or getting a good grade, they might still feel like they're not really good enough. This mindset and feeling generally is not good for anyone, it can hinder your progress in numerous ways as we'll see below
What Imposter syndrome does to you
Imposter syndrome instills self-doubt and low self-esteem, impedes career growth, hampers leadership and management, restricts innovation and risk-taking, and it affects your mental health.
Research has equally demonstrated that a significant portion of the working population, around 85%, experience feelings of inadequacy at times during their career. Additionally, approximately 70% of individuals have experienced impostor syndrome, which is characterized by a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud despite their accomplishments. These feelings can have a significant impact on various aspects of an individual's work and personal life, including productivity, motivation, innovation, career advancement, and overall mental and physical well-being. It can significantly impact achieving success by blocking job promotions, impeding work performance, constraining financial success, and causing physical and mental health problems. Women seem to suffer more than men from imposter syndrome, which may explain the continuing under-representation of women in senior management.
Dealing with Imposter syndrome
Set realistic expectations
Don't set yourself up for failure by expecting perfection in everything you do. Recognize that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process. Instead of striving for perfection, aim for progress and growth. Focus on setting achievable goals and celebrate your successes along the way. By doing so, you can build a sense of accomplishment and confidence.
It is also important to understand that everyone has areas where they can improve. Recognize that you may not excel at everything, but that you can continue to work on your skills and abilities. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, look for ways to develop your strengths and capitalize on your unique talents.
In addition, it can be helpful to seek feedback from others. This can provide valuable insights into your strengths and areas for improvement. Instead of taking feedback as criticism, view it as an opportunity to grow and learn.
When setting expectations, it is important to be kind and compassionate to yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself if things don't go according to plan. Instead, view setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow.
Challenge your negative self talk
Negative self-talk refers to the inner dialogue that we have with ourselves, which can be overly critical, self-doubting, and self-defeating. Negative self-talk can be damaging to our self-esteem and can reinforce feelings of inadequacy, which are common in Imposter Syndrome. To challenge negative self-talk, you need to become aware of your inner dialogue and identify the negative thoughts that are contributing to your feelings of self-doubt. You can do this by paying attention to the thoughts that come to mind when you experience feelings of inadequacy. You can then challenge these negative thoughts by asking yourself questions like
Is this thought based on fact or assumption?
What evidence do I have to support this thought?
What evidence do I have to contradict this thought?
Am I being too hard on myself?
Would I say this to a friend in the same situation?
By asking these questions, you can start to challenge the negative thoughts that are contributing to your feelings of self-doubt. You can then replace these negative thoughts with more positive and realistic ones. For example, if you find yourself thinking "I'm not good enough," you can challenge this thought by reminding yourself of your past successes and accomplishments. You can then replace this thought with a more positive one, such as "I have the skills and experience to succeed in this task."
Challenging negative self-talk can be challenging at first, but with practice, it can become easier. By becoming more aware of your thoughts and challenging negative self-talk, you can overcome Imposter Syndrome and realize your full potential.
Focus on your strength
To start focusing on your strengths, you can create a list of your achievements, skills, and qualities that you are proud of. This list can include both personal and professional accomplishments, such as completing a project at work, receiving a compliment from a friend, or achieving a fitness goal. The goal of this exercise is to remind yourself of the things that you have accomplished, which can help to boost your self-confidence.
It is also important to understand that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. No one is perfect, and it is unrealistic to expect yourself to be perfect in every area of your life. By focusing on your strengths, you can acknowledge your areas of expertise and recognize that you have value to offer in your personal and professional life.
When you find yourself experiencing Imposter Syndrome, refer back to your list of strengths and accomplishments. Remind yourself of the things that you have achieved and the skills that you possess. This can help to counteract negative thoughts and feelings and boost your self-confidence.
Thanks for sticking around to to the end, I do hope you find this helpful.
Image credit - Muhammad Useng: vecteezy