How I Overcame Imposter Syndrome

At least one point in our life we will experience, if not already, feelings such as embarrassment, shyness, or self-doubt. Many have had these feelings arise, but are unaware there actually is name for this called imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome can be described as a psychological pattern in which one doubts one’s accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud, fake, or phony. Imposter syndrome can happen based on the environment or setting, and institutionalized discrimination, such as, race, ethnicity, gender, or religion.

I, a Latina woman, grew up in a community with very few minorities, and imposter syndrome was something that I felt most of my middle and high school years. There were many feelings of self-doubt, not worthy of success, or not belonging. These feelings made me think twice before taking a risk, I did not feel worthy of making crazy risks in school or work. When I accomplished or succeeded in a class or project I would give the credit to my peers and would tell myself I would have not succeeded if it weren’t for my school peers or colleagues. There were many times I would avoid going to school or work on a day I knew I had to present my work, I was too concerned in being wrong or not doing well enough. The first time I began to acknowledge these feelings was when I had transferred from a community college to a university. I was feeling less intelligent, not important enough to contribute in class discussions, I would spend an unnecessary amount of time completing assignments, making sure there were no errors, going over and over every bit of detail. It became extremely time consuming trying to succeed in everything, I was tired all the time, I was avoiding hard or “risky” work, procrastinating just to avoid my fears. I knew there was something wrong and no logic behind my fears, but it was hard to prevent and stop them from happening.

These feelings are absolutely normal to have, but it is important to not stay in the same state of mind every time you are placed in an uncomfortable setting or position. Imposter syndrome can really hold a person back from their true potential. It becomes a never-ending cycle of self-doubt, it can cause procrastination, avoidance of extra responsibilities or asking questions, self-sabotage, job dissatisfaction, overachieving on simple tasks or projects over fear of failing or not doing well.

Here are a list of things I did to help overcome my imposter syndrome.

1. Speaking to Someone Close to You

Speak to family or close friend about your experiences and thoughts. After I discussed my feelings with my family we determined I would get better end results by speaking with a mental health care professional. Having someone else analyze the situation can help you come up with better solutions than if it were just you alone.

2. Break the Silence

Although I was getting professional help, I continued to have open discussions with close friends. It helped me realize I was not alone, there were a lot of people that have experienced similar feelings, and many were able to suggest different tips to help overcome those thoughts.

3. Celebrate Your Accomplishments

Every time I got a good grade on a project or accomplished a goal of mine, I would write it down on a journal. Along with writing my accomplishments I would also write down my personal skills that helped me succeed and reach my goal. This allowed me to visualize and think of skills as necessary and useful.

4. Rewrite Your Story

This is where the therapy comes in handy, but can also be achieved alone if you really intend on following through. Begin by writing down where you normally would experience imposter syndrome, like the things you say to yourself and what you did or did not do. When you see those thoughts and behavior patterns arise tell yourself everything you have been able to accomplish thus far, remind yourself of your potential and skills that have brought you to the place you are now. At the end of the day write the entire experience, what you were doing, how and what you were telling yourself before and after. This will help you remember the necessary steps to take to stop the vicious cycle of imposter syndrome.