A Message for Someone Dealing with Impostor Syndrome
You probably don’t think you are legitimately good — but you are.
Do you often discredit yourself for the things you do well? It might be an Imposter Syndrome. It is real, but so are your skills and achievements
“True imposter feelings involve self-doubt, uncertainty about your talents and abilities, and a sense of unworthiness that doesn’t align with what others think about you.
In short, you think you’ve fooled others into believing you are someone you aren’t.”
— You’re Not a Fraud. Here’s How to Recognize and Overcome Imposter Syndrome. Medically reviewed by Vara Saripalli, Psy.D.Written by Crystal Raypole.
No one is safe from this mental experience, from students to young professionals. Even top-notch CEOs and well-renowned people could easily be affected by this phenomenon.
One good example is Albert Einstein. Einstein is reported as saying to a friend, as an elderly man, that “the exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler”.
Knowing that you’re not alone in this fight provides comfort. But it’s only the beginning. Overcoming your imposter patterns is the real test — and you will get through it.
You probably don’t acknowledge yourself enough for the things you are exceptional at. You openly or secretively criticize yourself too much on everything you do. You blame yourself for failing the group work, thinking you did not do enough to help your group succeed. You felt your high-scoring exams, or your professional licenses came all out of pure luck.
Despite having people around you saying, “you did great”, “you are amazing at what you do”, or “you are a vital piece to this group”. You just seemed to find the tiniest of a hole to throw shades on your work and skillset.
Learn to acknowledge yourself without being over-confident. Celebrate small victories. Take pride in everything you achieve in life. Mentor somebody else, do your best, and believe you have the knowledge to share.
We may be brought up in an environment where it’s hard to gain that self-trust that you need to elevate yourself. But best believe that there are people who would appreciate you and the things you do.
Maybe even some of you were raised with immense pressure, to be the best, and it rubbed you the wrong way. And you ended up seeking to please people more than striving to be the best version of yourself.
Better be reminded that you are better than the person you think you are. You’re doing well, and you’re going to keep getting better and better.
Appreciate yourself, spare yourself a piece of love that you share with everybody else. By doing that, you are giving reverence to the people who believe in you.
Sometimes, you might worry that “what if I end up being self-centered by praising myself too much?” — Well, I would personally commend you for your self-awareness and unpretentious second nature— but there’s a little gray area in there and that’s where you operate, as Tony Stark would suggest to Peter Parker.
You’re not a fraud, and you are not anything less. You will fail sometimes, for sure. You will underperform, of course. You will not be able to meet the requirements a couple of times, a hundred percent. But as much as everything of this is true. You definitely deserve that promotion still, you are genuinely a good singer, you are a freaking awesome child, you are doing well as a parent, or whatever it is you are doing in life
Don’t let your own mind take it away from you.
Imposter syndrome is something we should face head-on. It is tricky. You could either fall into self-pity or vaingloriousness easily on your quest to overcome this. A way to combat both is you bear in mind that you should always be the best version of yourself in everything you do. As well as being the best person for the people around you.
You’re not perfect — yes. But the good news is no one on this 7.9 billion-filled planet is. Humility is a must, but self-sabotage is never a way to go.
You are more capable than you think you are. Carry on.
