5 Ways To Conquer Imposter Syndrome
After months of dreaming and working towards your goal, you finally achieve it, and stand amidst a ticker tape parade of celebration! Perhaps you’ve made partner at your firm or started your own business. Maybe you’ve secured that well-deserved promotion or finally bagged your spot on that speaking panel you’ve always wanted. It feels exhilarating, liberating and powerful.
But wait a minute, once the final pieces of ticker tape fall to the ground, you ask yourself: Am I good enough for this?
Welcome to imposter syndrome
Many of us suffer from feeling like we’re just not good enough in our work. A feeling that we’re somehow a fraud that is about to be found out. A fear that we’ve only arrived at this success by fluke or accident and any moment now we’re going to trip up and reveal ourselves as incapable.
Psychologists recognize these feelings as imposter syndrome. An estimated 70% of people experience these impostor feelings at some point in their lives, according to a review article published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science.
Research has shown that both men and women experience imposter feelings and have been experienced by individuals considered to have made significant successes in their life, e.g. Albert Einstein and Maya Angelou.
“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’”
Maya Angelou — civil rights activist, author, poet and Nobel Laureate.
A team of scientists from Ghent University in Belgium found that imposter syndrome can actually hold us back and can lead to the ‘Imposter Cycle.’ Imposters often fear they will be exposed, therefore, spending excessive amounts of energy on their work, leaving little energy or confidence to help with tasks and projects that are outside of their job description. This detrimental ‘impostor cycle’ not only affects personal lives but inevitably leads to emotional distress and mental ill health.
Imposter syndrome and women
Interestingly, imposter syndrome is particularly common among women, according to a national study of 3,000 U.K. adults commissioned by Access Commercial Finance.
The study found that two-thirds of women say they’ve experienced imposter syndrome at work in the past 12 months. It also revealed that while men were far from immune from experiencing imposter syndrome, they were 18% less likely to do so than their female counterparts. A quarter of women said receiving criticism was the biggest cause of their imposter syndrome, while one in five said having to ask for help made them doubt their abilities at work.
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s COO and best-selling author of Lean In, has often admitted to feeling like an imposter at times. In an interview, Sandberg said:
“There are still days I wake up feeling like a fraud, not sure I should be where I am.”
This debilitating lack of confidence — not competence — holds many women back from progressing in their careers, getting paid fairly, and succeeding as experts in their space.
Here are 5 tips for tackling the self-sabotaging voice of imposter syndrome:
1. Gather perspective as you are NOT alone
Feeling like you’re a fraud or about to be ‘found out’ can be incredibly isolating. Try to open up to the realization that others will also be experiencing similar feelings to you. You are not alone in experiencing impostor feelings. Don’t suffer in silence — talk with a close friend, business mentor or therapist. Sometimes all we need is help in gathering a little perspective.
2. See your fear as a signal
Remember nobody is perfect and it’s better to start somewhere than not to start at all.
Fear can be used as fuel as Katherine Cooligan shared in her recent TEDxTalk: Tackling fear and unleashing your potential.
“See fear as a signal to step forward, have courage to forge ahead and know that you will figure it out.”
Perfection is an unattainable target — so don’t be afraid to make mistakes; this is how you learn, how you grow, and ultimately how you’ll succeed.
3. Be proud and celebrate your wins (no matter how small)
There’s no shame in recognizing your achievements. Imposter syndrome can feel intimidating — so take control of the reigns and refuse to let it.
Take time out to document or speak about your daily or weekly accomplishments. It’s easy to forget the small things you’ve achieved, recognition of these will immediately lift your mood and confidence.
4. Find your joy, passion and purpose
Whenever you feel like giving up, take a step back and remember why it is you set your goals in the first place. Passion is a powerful weapon against imposter syndrome. Write down the things you love about your work on a sticky note and display this somewhere prominent in your workspace. Remember your purpose in what you strive to do as often this involves serving others, and therefore your task becomes much more than something about you.
5. Don’t compare yourself to others
The adage “comparison is the thief of joy” has never rung so true, especially when it comes to comparing ourselves and our success to others on social media or the workplace. Don’t get weighed down in analyzing what everyone else is doing either in virtual or real life– remember you are only ever seeing one part of their story. Comparing yourself to others is a waste of your time and precious energy. We are all unique and all bring different skills and talent to the table. We are all valuable.
Conquer the imposter thoughts
For those who experience imposter syndrome, the overthinking doesn’t just stop at self-worth and confidence. Often the more success the imposter achieves, the less real it feels, therefore, feelings of guilt creep in for not enjoying the ticker tape celebration. This is a situation that many celebrities in the public eye (actors, musicians, media personalities) encounter, as they struggle to navigate and progress with their career when they don’t feel worthy of success.
One of the foundational steps to take in overcoming imposter feelings is to acknowledge your thoughts and then swiftly put them in perspective. Observing the thought as opposed to engaging with it can help you let go and question your thoughts critically and with clarity.
You are human, you are enough and you CAN conquer your imposter syndrome thoughts.
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