Dealing With Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome, or feeling like a fraud, is a common experience for many people. It's also known as impostorism and can show up in many domains of life, though it's most commonly associated with academic and professional settings. In fact, studies suggest that 70% of people have experienced this phenomenon at some point in their lives.
Imposter syndrome comes up when something good happens to you—like getting an A on a test or making partner at work—and then you question whether or not you truly deserve it because deep down inside (or somewhere else), you think that no one could ever actually get such success without being completely undeserving of it. The reality is that everyone feels like an imposter sometimes; trust me! So if you're struggling with imposter syndrome right now (or even if it just popped up randomly while reading this article), here are some things that might help:
Recognize that you have Imposter Syndrome.
It’s okay if you still feel like an imposter. It's a normal feeling for many people. And it can be overcome!
Imposter syndrome is not a sign that you are an imposter, or that you don't belong in the field. Instead, it is a way of recognizing that your expertise and experience mean something significant to those around you—and that being able to understand this makes all the difference when dealing with imposter syndrome.
Challenge Your Assumptions
Once you've identified your assumptions, take a moment to challenge them. Ask yourself why you're making these assumptions about yourself and whether there's any evidence for or against them. If the evidence doesn't seem to support your assumption, then ask if there is other evidence that would.
For example, let's say that one of your assumptions is that you don't deserve the promotion because other people are better qualified than you are. To challenge this assumption, ask yourself: What makes me think they're better qualified? Are they really more experienced than I am? How much experience do I need in order to be considered "qualified" by others or myself? How do I know what skills make someone "qualified" for something? Is there some other skill that makes me more qualified than those people who were promoted instead of me? And what if those things didn't happen—what if those promotions went to someone else instead—would it matter at all to my life and career trajectory as long as I kept challenging myself and improving my abilities every day anyway (even though not getting promotions wasn't ideal)?
Talk To Someone Who Cares
The best way to overcome imposter syndrome is to talk about it. Find someone who knows what you're going through, or at least has been there. This person could be a friend, a family member, or even an online community where people share experiences related to the topic. There are plenty of Facebook groups dedicated to overcoming imposter syndrome—and they're great places to start!
You'll probably want to make sure that you're speaking with someone who won't judge you or make assumptions about your feelings of insecurity. Also, make sure that whoever you choose will listen without judgment; if they interrupt with advice or comments before you've had the chance say everything that's on your mind, then it might not be worth talking with them at all (at least not right now).
If possible, try talking in person because being face-to-face makes us feel more comfortable opening up and being vulnerable. If this isn't possible for some reason (maybe there's no one nearby), try calling them instead since it still allows eye contact and body language cues between speakers which can help convey emotion during conversations like these!
Before speaking about any specific issues surrounding imposter syndrome though remember that it's important not only what but also why those feelings exist: You may find yourself feeling inadequate due to constantly comparing yourself against others' accomplishments but if those comparisons are inaccurate then overall performance levels shouldn’t matter anyway!
Look At The Facts
When you're feeling like an imposter, it can be difficult to consider your accomplishments. But the fact is, you're good at what you do—you've earned that position or succeeded in that project.
Next time this happens, take a moment to consider all of the skills and experience that led up to your current position. Did it take years of hard work? Were there other projects and challenges along the way? What were those successes?
Now look at those facts again: no matter how much self-doubt creeps into your mind, they remain unchanging facts. You are very good at what you do!
Talk with other people who struggle with imposter syndrome.
Talk to other people who understand what you are going through.
Talk to others who have been through it and have come out on the other side.
Talk to others who are struggling with imposter syndrome now, or people who have struggled with it in the past and learned how to deal with it better than they used to (or maybe even never felt like an imposter).
In addition, talk to those people who don't feel like imposters at all! You can learn from their experiences too—it might give some good insight into why some people think less of themselves than others do
Take A Break When You Need It
While it's good to be vigilant about your self-care, you should also be aware of when you're overdoing it. You don't want to become so obsessed with taking care of yourself that you end up feeling guilty about doing things for yourself. If you've been working on a project for hours without taking a break, or if you're logging hours upon hours in the gym despite being exhausted, then it's probably time for some R&R.
Take breaks from social media and your phone when you need them—even if just for an hour or two at a time. This is especially important if your job requires constant monitoring of news outlets and social media platforms (which can lead to burnout). Try turning off notifications on your phone during certain times of day and setting limits on how much time per day/weekend/monthly cycle that these activities can occupy in order to prevent exhaustion from overload.
Imposter syndrome is very common and having a support system is critical when dealing with it
When you're feeling like an imposter, it can be difficult to consider your accomplishments. Imposter syndrome is a very common phenomenon and it's not something that should be considered a sign of weakness. There are many people who deal with imposter syndrome on a daily basis, but like most things in life, the more you learn about it and understand what it means, the easier it will be to overcome.
One thing I love the most about our "Passion Tribe" members, right here on this site, is that they support and empower one another. When one of us is going through something that makes us feel this imposter syndrome coming on, they all rally in and support that person to get right on over that feeling. If you haven't checked it out yet, click here and go discover it.
You might just feel like joining!
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