Have you ever felt like an impostor? Like you’re a fraud and will be found out any moment now? If so, you’re not alone. The ‘Imposter Syndrome’ is common among high-achieving individuals.
The Impostor Syndrome is the feeling that one is not intelligent or capable enough to succeed in a particular field. It can also be described as ‘self-ignorance’ – the fear of being exposed for not being good enough or smart enough to do something well at work or even in life.
People who feel they are an impostor tend to think negatively about their own abilities and fail to recognize their own strengths. They think they are pretending, when in fact they are just playing smaller than they can play. Keep reading to know more about the Impostor Syndrome and how you can fight it.
What is Impostor Syndrome?
Impostor Syndrome is a feeling of fraudulence, in which people who have achieved recognition believe they do not deserve it and will be found out as frauds. It is a cognitive pattern of thinking that is often seen in high-achieving women and men. Who is at risk for under-utilizing their full potential because they do not feel that they have met the requirements of the task at hand.
Impostor Syndrome is not fraud. It’s a feeling of not being enough and feeling like you are a fake, like you don’t really deserve whatever success you have. It affects a lot of high-achieving women and men, especially in the areas of writing, speaking, and publishing.
What Causes Imposter Syndrome?
According to psychologists, the root cause of impostor syndrome is the fear of not being good enough. This fear can be triggered by a number of different experiences, including parental criticism, rejection, or even success.
One way to view impostor syndrome is as a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t believe you can succeed, your belief will hold true – you won’t succeed. If, however, you believe you can succeed, you’re far more likely to do so.
Self-doubt is a very insidious thing, because it masquerades as a friend. It will tell you that your success is due to luck or that you were simply in the right place at the right time. It’ll also tell you that you don’t deserve the success you’ve found because you are not talented enough, smart enough, or worthy enough to have been given whatever opportunities you have been given. It will lie to you. And if you let it, it will destroy you.
Impostor Syndrome and Self-Doubt: What Can You Do About It?
Impostor syndrome is a term that was coined by psychologists to describe high-achieving people’s feelings of being inadequate, despite evidence of their success.
The impostor syndrome has been found in two groups of people. One are high-achievers who are afraid to take risks because they perceive themselves as frauds. The other group includes low-achievers who are not confident in their abilities because they can’t see themselves as capable of success.
- Recognize impostor syndrome for what it is: a symptom of self-doubt.
- Accept that it is a normal part of being human.
- Remember that impostor syndrome is a result of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of being exposed as a fraud.
- Reject the impostor syndrome by embracing the fact that you are human.
- Focus on your strengths and abilities, not your weaknesses or faults.
- Be persistent and forgiving.
- Celebrate your wins and small successes.
Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
Impostor Syndrome can often be triggered by the need to compare your achievements or abilities to others around you. You will almost certainly find that you are constantly comparing yourself to others, even if you don’t realize it.
You may be comparing your educational achievements, your career path, or perhaps even your social life and romantic relationship. Impostor Syndrome and a tendency to compare are inextricably linked. In fact, many experts believe that comparing yourself to others is one of the key causes of impostor syndrome.
When you compare yourself to others, you set expectations based on the achievements of others. If you are constantly comparing yourself to others, you will be setting extremely high expectations for yourself. When you fail to meet these expectations, impostor syndrome can kick in, and you will begin to question whether you deserve what you have achieved. You must stop comparing yourself to others if you wish to conquer impostor syndrome.
Celebrate Your Mistakes Instead Of Beating Yourself Up Over Them
Another way to fight impostor syndrome is by celebrating your mistakes and failures. When you make a mistake, or even an honest error, learn from it and move on. There is no shame in making mistakes or errors.
In fact, you should celebrate them because they are evidence that you are trying and making progress. Impostor syndrome often results from perfectionism and a desire to be perfect. It is important to realize that no one is perfect and that everyone makes mistakes – even the most successful people in the world.
When you make a mistake or an error, resist the urge to berate yourself. Instead, use the mistake to propel yourself forward. Ask yourself what you learned from the mistake and how you can use that knowledge to improve.
The way to overcome this impostor syndrome is to become aware of one’s own flaws and weaknesses. Make a list of what one knows about their abilities and skills. The best way to get over Imposter Syndrome is by asking for help from others when necessary. People can overcome Impostor Syndrome by taking small steps at a time, not beating themselves up when they make mistakes, and also believing in themselves even if it feels like no one else does.
