5 Types Of Imposter Syndrome And How To Deal With Them
When was the last time you thought to yourself, “I am not good enough. I don’t deserve to work in this role or on this important project.” Research suggests that 7 in 10 people experience imposter syndrome and can thus recall this scenario from the not-so-distant past. This psychological phenomenon leads you to believe that you’re inadequate and incompetent despite evidence that you’re skilled and deserving of success.
The thing about imposter syndrome is it doesn’t affect us all in the same way. For some, it leads them to overburden themselves with work and for others, it leads them to refuse assistance from anyone and do everything themselves.
Dr. Valerie Young in her book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer From the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It categorizes the different types of imposter syndrome. Let’s have a look at them.
1. The Perfectionist
Perfectionists often hold themselves to very high standards and even if a single thing goes wrong, they think that the entire endeavor was a failure. They start experiencing major self-doubt wondering if they’ll ever be able to measure up to the goals they set. Even when they attain success, there’s always a nagging thought at the back of their minds, “Couldn’t I have done it better? Am I really cut out for this job?” This way of thinking can be detrimental and can lead to burnout, low confidence, and discontentment.
Here are two ways to deal with this imposter syndrome:
- See things through a neutral lens. You can do this by placing someone you love in your shoes. Would you judge them as harshly if they were in your place? The more often you practice this habit, the more you’ll realize that things are not as bad as you think they are.
- Push yourself to take action. Even if you think that the outcome won’t be 100% perfect, tell yourself that the perfect time will never come.
2. The Soloist
Do you feel you’ve failed when you ask for help? That’s the soloist imposter syndrome at a glance. The soloist often feels that asking for help signifies they are phonies and so they often try to do everything by themselves even when the task requires assistance and an inflow of ideas from multiple perspectives. These kinds of people are probably the happiest when working alone and on tasks that need little to no collaboration.
Here are a few ways to deal with the soloist imposter syndrome:
- Imagine how much longer you’d need to take working on a task or how much rework you’d have to do if you keep insisting that you have to figure things out yourself. Wouldn’t it be better to ask for help than waste away hours on a task?
- There’s no shame in asking for help. Next time you’re confused, ask a co-worker. If you are stuck somewhere, take advice from a coach or a trusted mentor. The more you go out of your comfort zone to do this, the better it will be for you.
3. The Natural Genius
Add perfectionism to achieving lofty goals in the first try itself and there you have it — the natural genius. These individuals start feeling guilty and ashamed if they cannot easily complete a task or achieve a goal on their first try. If you’re someone who is used to excelling without effort or being constantly told when you were young that you’re the smart one by your peer group or family, you might be at risk of the natural genius. The result would be seeing your confidence tumbling if you encounter a setback or avoiding trying new things because you might not be great at it.
Ways to avoid this:
- Remind yourself that not everyone is good at everything and that some things take time to learn and excel at. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at it.
- Don’t avoid things. For example, if you think you’re just not good at initiating a conversation, focus on small behaviors that can help you be better at it instead of just straight away avoiding it.
4. The Superperson
This person overburdens himself with work to cover up for their insecurities. They might be the ones leaving late at the office every single day even if they have completed all the tasks on their to-do list. The superperson often goes as far as feeling stressed during their downtime because they’re not working. This work overload impacts not only their mental and physical health but their relationship with others as well. It’s important to note here that superpersons aren’t addicted to their work, they’re addicted to the validation that comes from working.
A few ways to work on this syndrome:
- Avoid measuring your success based on excelling at your work life or at your role as a parent, partner, or member of an extended family. Shift from external validation to internal validation and nurture your inner confidence.
- Be aware of the comparison trap and do not take criticism personally. In time, you’ll be able to gauge how much work is reasonable and the boundaries that you should draw.
5. The Expert
The expert is a person who never feels good enough despite being quite knowledgeable and skilled. They expect themselves to know everything and when they do not know an answer or have little knowledge on a topic, they start feeling they’re less experienced than their colleagues. This syndrome can encourage you to always keep learning but it can easily turn out to be a kind of procrastination where you endlessly keep seeking out information rather than taking the necessary action.
Ways to deal with the expert imposter syndrome:
- Dr Young recommends looking out for negative self-talk while facing this syndrome. She says, “There’s a difference between saying, ‘I’m so stupid’ and ‘I feel so stupid at this moment’.” “We all feel stupid from time to time and that is okay,” she adds.
- Mentor a junior colleague. When you share your knowledge and see others benefiting from it, it helps you deal with your imposter feelings.
Now that you know the different types of imposter syndrome, can you figure out which resonates with you and the strategies that you can implement to avoid it?
