Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome. We’ve ALL experienced it. Let’s talk about what it means, how it impacts us, and most importantly, let’s figure out how to dial down the volume on its influence over our lives.
Let’s dive in. No matter how much evidence there is that we’re successfully navigating our lives, jobs or relationships, many of us hold false beliefs that we aren’t actually as capable, smart, or prepared as others think we are. This phenomenon is called imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome occurs among high achievers who are unable to internalize and accept their success. So-called “imposters” chalk up their success to luck rather than ability and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud. “Imposters” might think “everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing, but I feel lost.”
Many factors that lead to developing imposter syndrome, including an immense amount of societal pressure to achieve and a tendency to engage in perfectionistic thinking. Think about it, we have been taught to value achievement our entire lives—back in school, we took tests, we wrote papers, we received grades—objective measures of success that gave us a chance to prove ourselves. In the real world, we’ve learned that there are fewer objective measures and more ambiguous metrics of success.
If you recognize yourself in this description of the imposter phenomenon, you are not alone! We are all susceptible to pluralistic ignorance, the human tendency to privately doubt ourselves and believe we’re alone in thinking this way. There’s really no way to know how difficult our peers find certain tasks or how much they doubt themselves.
Imposter syndrome can manifest in many ways. It looks different for everyone!
● Work: One might feel like they have to overwork themselves to achieve the unrealistically high standards they’ve set.
● School: A student might avoid speaking up in class or asking questions for fear others might think they’re stupid.
● Relationships: A partner might fear that their significant other will discover that they’re not actually that great.
These patterns of thinking can lead to self-doubt, negative self-talk, and missed opportunities. Intense feelings of imposter syndrome can prevent people from sharing ideas, applying for jobs or graduate programs, and can lead to a decrease in job performance and job satisfaction. Talk about burnout!
Luckily, there are many ways to overcome the belief that you don’t measure up. Check out these therapeutic strategies.
1. Take Note of Your Accomplishments: When self-doubt creeps in, it can be helpful to have a tangible reminder of your successes. What have you achieved that you’re proud of? Grab a pen and get to work!
2. Recognize Your Knowledge: Mentoring new employees or tutoring younger students can help you recognize your personal progress and growth and realize how much knowledge you have to impart.
3. Chip Away at Perfectionism: Focus on PROGRESS, not perfection; GOOD ENOUGH, not perfect. Recognize mistakes as an important part of growth. Remember that if people see your error, you will not be revealed as a fraud; you will be seen as a human.
4. Flip the Script: When you’re in a situation that triggers imposter feelings, become consciously aware of your internal dialogue. If you catch a thought like “they’re going to find out I have no idea what I’m talking about,” shift your mindset to “everyone feels unconfident when they start something new,” or “I may not know all the answers, but I’m smart enough to handle this.” Learn to view winging it as a skill!