F*ck You Imposter Syndrome
A brief word on this dark, self-doubting plague
“We’d like to offer you the position of XXXX. We’ll be sending over an offer letter shortly. It was such a pleasure Camille, and we look forward to hearing back from you soon.”
I sat on the other line of the phone in shock. After several rounds of interviewing, I had been offered the position to work with the executive communications team with one of the top nonprofits in the country. Needless to say, something was festering in the shadows after I hung up the line.
“You don’t deserve this role.”
An ominous voice whispered in my ear.
“They’ll know you’re a fake right away,”
it continued.
Imposter Syndrome was back to rear its ugly head, and I, for one, fell victim.
According to Harvard Business Review, Imposter Syndrome is defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. In lamens terms, when you’re actually the sh*t and you’ve done all the work to prove that you’re the sh*t, but somehow you still have self-doubt like a mutha. While I’ve done my due diligence for years freelancing and the corporate realm to get where I am now, Imposter Syndrome again tried to take me out.
What does Imposter Syndrome look like to me?
I often find myself going above and beyond to prove my self to my colleagues. Sometimes by staying later or even getting in early to knock out some work before some of the team gets in. It’s my way of convincing myself and others that I belong in this role.
I can be out grabbing drinks or on a date with my boyfriend and catch myself looking at my work email. “Was there something I missed?” “Will they discover a huge mistake in my copy?” “ Am I being too progressive?” The thoughts are often deafening.
My anxiety goes into overdrive when these questions race through my mind. When in actuality, I’ve been doing things right all along. I’ve been showing up and showing out and my colleagues, even supervisor notice. The CEO even asks my opinion on email copy from time to time.
“You’re a writer, what are your thought on this?”
So while it’s incredible to get praise and validation from folks I work with, I realize that I must overcome this self-doubt and regain my confidence in my work. Quite frankly, I’m the sh*t, and as a result, my work is the sh*t and it’s about time I know this. If you’re like me and struggling to find your space in the corporate world, remember you deserve to be there. Studies suggest that 70% of people experience Imposter Syndrome sometime in their career. It’s not by chance that you’ve made it this far.
Look in the mirror and say this whenever you feel like you’re a fraud
“F*CK YOU IMPOSTER SYNDROME!”
