Imposter Syndrome-5 Hacks To Get Out Of It!
How can you become a go-getter!
“I am not good enough for this!”
“No matter what I do, it’s never enough”
“How will I achieve my goals? I can never get them”
“I am such a failure!”
Sounds familiar to you? Have you ever had ideas during office meetings or presentations, or known the answers to a pop quiz in class and been afraid of putting yourself out there because “What if you are not right, and then would melt into a puddle of embasrassment and guilt?”
Have you ever been accustomed to mentioning one or all of these or at any point in your life heard yourself mumbling under your breath these words? Well, fret not! You are not alone, there are millions of people who are a victim of the infamous Imposter Syndrome!
Imposter Syndrome in simple words is doubting your abilities to be as competent as others. It refers to having this innate voice that keeps berating your successes and undermining your talents, skills, and accomplishments — always disparaging your wins. It happens to the best of us, and it could make you feel like you don’t belong where you are, and you are never going to be enough, no matter how much you try!
The reason I am writing on this is because this is something very personal, as I have been a victim to Imposter Syndrome many times. I have felt in the past I am not good enough and hence try to be a perfectionist, avoid asking for help (thinking, oh what if they think I am less competent), avoid social interactions fearing that I will never be able to take my accomplishments as a result of my hard work and only instead attribute it to chances or coincidences. Trust me, this self-wallowing, pityful, underselling behaviour will only be a negative experience for you!
Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded
So today, I will be sharing some hacks to help yourself get out of this vicious cycle of not feeling good enough or worthy enough and learning to achieve your goals step by step in the following ways:
- Affirmations: We need to stop belittling our efforts and successes from the very start, and it all boils down to how we see ourselves and how we converse with ourselves and those around us. Avoid saying “trying to” or “Oh this is nothing, just a tiny thing I won” or “This is a tiny company that I have formed”. There is a lot of power in words and the way you say it. These negative voices will only diminish your own presence and image in front of others and yourself. Instead, try changing the narrative and own yourself. Visualise successful pathways working out for you — say things like “I am working on growing this company” or “This is an accomplishment or award I have won” or “I am putting in my efforts to make this successful, and I am giving it my all”. Remember — what we speak, is what gets ingrained in our subconscious, which ultimately decides how we react and respond in life.
- Pen down your accomplishments: Whenever you feel like you are not good enough, have a diary where your accomplishments have been noted down, and read, re-read it time and again. Our brains have cognitive dissonance in place which makes it difficult to focus on the positives, as naturally it focuses on the negatives. Having a list of your wins and accomplishments stacked in a diary can be a trigger for you to focus on the positives and be optimistic instead of demeaning yourself. This will require a bit of practice, but will eventually come as you subconsciously rewire your brain to focus on yourself as a winner, rather than as a loser!
- Acceptance: This is something that I have been struggling with. It is hard for me to accept rejections, but that’s life, right? We need to understand that rejections and hurdles are a part of our lives, and it does not determine our value as humans, NO! Not getting the promotion or the dream job does not equate to you not being good enough or not being a capable and worthy human, NOT AT ALL! Know that there are multiple of factors which could determine the decision, and this should not demotivate you from striving to be the best version of yourself, in whatever way possible.
- Avoiding Comparisons: Everyone has a life pathway filled with happy days and struggles, that we might not know of entirely. I struggle with this too; I inherently start comparing my life with others and it makes me morose. I have realised, it is only making me miserable as my journey and path is unique. My share of happiness and troubles is completely my own, and it does not solve any problem by comparing our lives as there are no two copies of one person! So the next time you feel that — Oh he has it better than me, know that on someday, he might have it worse than you too! The key here is — to focus on your own growth and goals.
- Speak to a Mentor/Therapist: If you feel that you are unable to control your thoughts and everything leads you to feeling and thinking that you are a fraud, not good enough and always spiral down, then it is best to get professional help or speak to a trusted person, someone close to you, who can guide you to get out of this negative self-talk loop. Imposter Syndrome is very common, and speaking up about it will help in others getting to know you better and help you out in ways that might not have occured to you before!
We all, as individuals have so much to offer to this world, imagine how much we could achieve, if we never held back and just started being a go-getter!
If you want to start a business — DO IT!
Want to switch fields — DO IT!
Want to move to a new city and try out something new — DO IT!
No one is as talented or skilled as you, you are unique and the talents you possess can benefit people in ways unimaginable!
By underestimating our worth or influence, we will never know what we are capable of. If we dont start — chances are we will never know! And it will always remain as the road not taken! I fought my feelings, and the Imposter Syndrome in me and started my writing journey on Medium. While I still feel that I may not be a good enough writer, what I am proud of is — I am trying and not willing to give up anytime soon, and neither should you!
