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I Escaped Imposter Syndrome by Asking for Feedback
Turns out I’m not actually a fraud
My stomach stirred with the familiar mix of ambition and self-doubt.
It was the familiar punch of Imposter Syndrome, convincing me that I was a fraud. This promotion, into a technical expert role, was within reach, yet my self-doubt threatened to be my saboteur.
My mind was flooded with whispers, each one a tiny imposter repeating, “You don't belong here,” “Just a lucky fluke,” and “They'll see you're a imposter.”
Imposter syndrome is the condition of feeling anxious and not experiencing success internally, despite being high-performing in external, objective ways. This condition often results in people feeling like “a fraud” or “a phony” and doubting their abilities. betterup.com
This is a surprisingly common phenomenon. Research suggests it affects up to 70% of people at some point in their lives. And it is a well accepted fact that women are more likely to experience imposter syndrome, and I am no better than the other women.
As I am aiming for a career promotion, it brought its head back up. A recent study found that experiencing the imposter syndrome can decrease people’s career planning and their motivation to pursue career goals or leadership positions.
