Do you ever feel like the world is working against you? Or are you ever left with the sensation of inadequacy despite evident success?
Fake. Lucky. Failure. Out of place. Insecure. Fraudulent. Undeserving. Found out.
If any of these words strike a chord with you, you may struggle with imposter syndrome.
- What is imposter syndrome?
- The effects of imposter syndrome
- What does imposter syndrome feel like?
- How to overcome imposter syndrome?
- Conclusion
What is imposter syndrome?
‘Imposters’ tend to endure chronic self-doubt and have a tendency to feel like an intellectual fraud, making it difficult to accept any feelings of success or external evidence of their abilities. Imposters are unable to internalize their accomplishments, however successful they may be in their vocation.
High-achieving and driven people are likely to fall culprit to imposter syndrome. It is strongly associated with perfectionism. Impostor syndrome affects all kinds of people from all parts of life: women, men, medical students, marketing managers, actors, and executives… the list goes on! If you can relate to these feelings of imposter syndrome, know that you are not alone.
However, it is very easy to feel isolated and alone with this feeling of being an imposter in your own life. You may presume that no one else quite knows what you are struggling with, or feels equally as undeserving or incompetent as you do. But the truth is completely the opposite.
In this article we share the effects that imposter syndrome has on others, and what it has felt like in their unique situations. You will learn that the world is on your side if you let it, and that there are ways to reprogram these feelings of impostorism in a healthy and empathic way.
The effects of imposter syndrome
There are times where a little self-doubt and competitiveness are necessary for us to thrive in uncomfortable or new environments. Acknowledging that you don’t know everything can open you up to new learning opportunities. Being insecure teaches us that we need to adapt and change with our surroundings in order to grow. The imposter phenomenon takes this a few steps too far, and engrains into our minds a fear of failure and shame.
Imposter syndrome typically affects those who are motivated, driven, and high achieving. It is often linked with perfectionism, which refers to those having high personal standards, being organized, orderly, and striving for flawless outcomes. While perfectionists and impostors are both motivated to succeed, perfectionists are driven by internal demands of having high standards, whereas impostors are driven by internal thoughts of intellectual fraud.
A study found that over 80% of people, especially ethic minority groups, face feelings of imposter syndrome. Rather than thinking they are smart, talented, experienced, or deserving, they are left feeling like they don’t belong.
While the imposter phenomenon isn’t actually a clinical diagnosis, research has shown that impostorism is associated with negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression. It was also found that those who possess high levels of impostor feelings are particularly vulnerable to low levels of self-esteem.
Imposter syndrome is especially prominent among people with underrepresented identities. Feelings of insecurity or self-doubt were found to be common among BIPOC, who are typically underrepresented in higher education and workplace environments in North America. In comparison to their white counterparts, they are more likely to experience this phenomenon. It was also discovered that transgender and non-binary people experience a similar phenomenon, with an internal theme of not being ‘woman or man enough,’ in their professions and having the world seemingly view them as an imposter.
Many of us have experienced feelings of doubt and unworthiness at some point in our lives. Impostor syndrome takes over when your accomplishments are a result of your own knowledge, hard work, and preparation, yet you STILL feel inadequate.
We have gathered some personal examples of people who have felt the effects of the imposter phenomenon, and have highlighted some tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome.
What does imposter syndrome feel like?
Here are some of the stories that people generously shared with us.
*Names have been changed to ensure privacy.
Meet Rebecca.
Rebecca is a 24 year old woman who was recently hired at a car rental company as their operations manager. It is her role to manage and oversee the jobs of several middle aged men.
“I feel like I don’t belong in this job. Like as a young woman I am not respected in this industry that is mostly full of older men who look at me like I’m not their superior. I am someone that they have to respect when I give them a task to do, although they choose not to. They look at me and talk behind my back about how they shouldn’t have to report to me. It’s tough because even though I love my job, it’s hard to prove to them what I am capable of. I often lose sight of my own capabilities – if the people I work with can’t see my potential, how can I accept it myself? Although my success is measured and recognized, having people who doubt your abilities makes me question myself.”
Meet Aaron.
Aaron has been with the same software engineer company for five years. He is a respected, hard-working member of the company’s team. He knows he is a valuable asset, but hasn’t made an effort to make sure he is recognized as one.
“I have been in my current role for a while now. I know that I am bad at making sure that I am acknowledged for the work I do. I receive outstanding performance reviews from my manager. I have overseen countless projects that I worked extremely hard on that have been successful. I honestly don’t know why I struggle to get a promotion and ask for a raise. They must think I’m comfortable. Maybe I don’t deserve it? I go back and forth on whether I do or don’t. I guess I just have to prove myself more.”
Meet Camila.
Camila quit her 9-5 corporate job to pursue a career in content creation. She feels motivated yet demotivated at the same time. It is hard for her not to feel insecure or fake while pursuing her dream.
“I am critically self-aware of the fact that I am advertising myself for the world to see. Putting yourself out there on social media as an influencer in a niche area will allow people to immediately label you and judge you. Most of the comments I get are supportive. But the worst reviews don’t come from people hiding behind screens – they come from myself. I find it hard not to criticize myself, which often leads to self-doubt, fear, anxiety, and feeling like a fake. I just signed my biggest brand deal yet, and instead of being thrilled I found myself thinking: ‘when are they gonna realize they made a mistake?’”
Meet Jamal.
Jamal is a young African-American who has struggled with imposter syndrome for his whole life. He has worked hard and ground his way to the very top of his graduating class, and has earned many scholarships to some of the top universities in the country. However, he feels as though he got lucky with his scholarships and like he is out of place.
“My entire life my family struggled. We didn’t come from a rich neighborhood or a nice part of the city. I think my mom was surprised that at least one of her kids was able to stick it out in high school. Life was tough at times for us. But we managed. Now I am accepted into my top university and got good enough grades to support myself while I’m there. I can’t help but think if they gave me scholarships because they know I’m black and they wanna diversify the school, or if I actually earned it. Being one of the only black people at my high school makes me think that university isn’t going to be much different. The amount of times I got questioned about where I’m from and how’d I get here makes me question if I actually belong there. All I know is that white people never get asked those kinda questions.”
Meet Inges.
Inges has been a writer for quite some time. She has gotten jobs she once could only dream about. She has had lots of success in her career so far but often feels like a fraud.
“I love my job. If I had to start my life over again, I would still choose to be a writer. Although I often find myself spirling down a rabbit hole… if I love my job so much then why do I always feel out of place? I panic sometimes and find myself anxious when I’m writing. Lots of people out there look up to what I have to say. Ha! How on earth do these people trust what I am writing about – I am blatantly aware of the many things I don’t know. I often feel like I am not smart enough to be in this position of spreading powerful knowledge.”
How to overcome imposter syndrome?
Impostor syndrome leads people to believe that their academic and professional accomplishments are not due to their own capabilities, such as skills or intellect, but rather external factors, such as luck, effort, and receiving help from others.
What matters is if we give these doubts and fears the power to keep us from taking the actions needed to achieve our goals and highest aspirations.
If you feel like you’re suffering from impostor syndrome, know that there are ways to combat these feelings so that you’re able gain your confidence back.
Here are some tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome:
Recognize these feelings when they arise
It’s easy to brush aside the signs of impostor syndrome that come up in our everyday lives. However, acknowledging these signs when they arise is the first step when learning how to overcome imposter syndrome.
Signs you may be suffering from impostor syndrome:
- You always feel like you ‘got lucky’ even when you worked hard
- You find yourself apologizing when you didn’t actually do something wrong
- You are a perfectionist with incredibly high standards
- You find it difficult to accept praise
- You never feel like what you are doing is enough
Pay close attention to how you speak about yourself and to others, especially when you’re talking about school or work. Your language choices are a strong indicator of if you are dealing with imposter syndrome. If you find that your own success or receiving praise makes you uncomfortable, allow yourself some space to reflect on where those kinds of thoughts have arisen from and what they may symbolize.
Show yourself some empathy
Be kind to yourself. This simply means changing your inner monologue, the way you talk to yourself in your head, by practicing positive self-talk.
Negative self-talk is an unhealthy practice, and it can greatly influence our anxiety and stress levels.
It can also help to zoom out and consider how where you are now compares to where you were one, or even five, years ago. You have accomplished things that your younger self would be proud of. Remember to show some compassion towards yourself.
It’s also important to remember that your accomplishments aren’t tied to your value. When overcoming imposter syndrome, learn to recognize those feelings of fear and accept that you are perfectly fine as you are, even without your accomplishments.
Seek out support
Know that you are not alone.
Talk about what you are experiencing with others, whether it is with a friend, counselor, colleague, mentor, or your manager. It’s better to have an open dialogue rather than suffer in silence with negative thoughts.
Sharing what you are going through will make you better equipped to deal with your impostor syndrome, and help you realize your own value.
Let go of your inner perfectionist
Perfectionism is kryptonite to imposter syndrome. While it can be useful in certain contexts, it can also be a major downfall for productivity and self-esteem in the case of imposter syndrome.
Many people who suffer from impostor syndrome are high achievers, setting an almost impossibly high standard for themselves and are committed to being the best of the best.
It can be damaging to your mental health to always be comparing yourself to the perfect outcome that’s either unattainable or unrealistic. Striving for perfectionism is often more counterproductive and will only make you feel more like a fraud.
It is important to remind yourself to practice self-compassion – being mindful of your thoughts and actions can help you let go of perfectionism.
By adjusting your standards for success, it will be easier to internalize your worth. Focusing on your progress rather than aiming for perfection will help you overcome imposter syndrome.
Rewire your train of thought
Rewiring your train of thought is a powerful act in overcoming imposter syndrome. When you alter the internal conversation you have with yourself, you are able to figure out where your power lies.
It starts with observing messages when they pop up in your mind. Impostor syndrome often manifests itself as a voice inside our heads, beating us down with negative messages like “you’re a fraud” or “I don’t deserve what I have achieved.”
Notice when your impostor feelings surface and how you respond to them. Practicing mindfulness can help you stay present and aware of your thoughts and feelings. This is an especially important tip, as the impostor phenomenon is unconscious and mindless. It will help you consciously move your thoughts in a different direction.
Psychologists have found that repeating positive affirmations can combat feelings of imposter syndrome. They can improve stress and anxiety levels, because these positive statements build a bridge into your subconscious mind.
Some positive affirmations to practice for imposter syndrome include:
- I am a strong and capable person
- I do not have to be perfect to be effective
- I have earned my place here
- I am confident in my abilities
- I am an asset to any team
- I release any self-doubt that I have
Visualize (and own) your success
You didn’t get lucky by chance. Make sure you own your success!
Those who often fear being “found out” have a tendency to attribute their success to external factors – like luck or a helping hand. People with imposter syndrome struggle to realize that their success is the result of internal factors, such as hard work, talent, determination, and intelligence.
It might be helpful to track your success so that you are able to see it in plain sight. Try writing down things that will help you visualize your achievements, such as how many monthly views your post has gotten, or copying down the kind reviews/messages people have sent you, and so on.
Also, if someone congratulates you, stop and think about their praise. Pay attention to how you respond, and aim to speak more positively about yourself. This will help internalize your success.
Acknowledge your learning curves
Everyone has subconscious blocks – things that hold us back from our goals. Recognizing that you don’t know everything is another way to break down the barriers of perfectionism and tackle those learning curves when overcoming imposter syndrome.
It’s also important to acknowledge your failures. Learn to value constructive criticism. Ask for help when you need it. Talking about things that didn’t go your way with others allows you to realize that most of the time, other people are struggling too.
Sharing the learning moments in those failures can be a vital step when learning to overcome imposter syndrome – you are able to realize that failure isn’t a setback, it’s an opportunity for redirection and growth.
Embrace your emotions
Battling those feelings of imposter syndrome doesn’t mean that they will never come back again. We are always going to be faced with new experiences, emotions, and challenges in life.
Imposter Syndrome is a pattern of thinking that makes us doubt our abilities and accomplishments. While you may have those feelings of being a “fraud” creep in every now and again, it’s important to recognize why those emotions are there. Staying present with all of your emotions will allow you to consciously think about your feelings, instead of letting yourself fall into that slippery slope of mindless negativity and self-doubt.
With the new skills you have learnt on how to overcome imposter syndrome, you will be able to catch yourself when you land in that critical and harsh thought pattern. When you acknowledge those emotions, it allows you to become aware of what you need in order to shift and redirect your course.
Conclusion
The effects of imposter syndrome reach more people than you might realize. By talking about it and connecting with others on this common unpleasant trait, we start to realize that we aren’t alone.
Here is a quote from Michelle Obama on her book tour for her best-selling Becoming.
“I still have a little impostor syndrome… It doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is.”
It’s empowering to feel like you are not so alone in thinking this way. Recognizing these thoughts that are working against us will allow us to take the power back from our subconscious, letting us confidently achieve our goals and own our success.
If you feel like you’re suffering from the impostor phenomenon, we hope this guide to overcoming imposter syndrome has enlightened you with methods to achieve your highest self, and soak in all your glory and deserving success.
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