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Imposter Syndrome: 8 Ways to Deal With It Before It Hinders Your Success
By [email protected] (Lindsay Kolowich Cox)
“I got lucky.”
“I don’t belong here.”
“I’m a fraud, and it’s just a matter of time before everyone finds out.”
Sound familiar?
That’s imposter syndrome talking. Most of us have experienced feelings of doubt and unworthiness at some point in our lives. But when your accomplishments are a result of your own knowledge, hard work, and preparation and you still feel inadequate…you’re probably suffering from impostor syndrome.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a feeling of unworthiness or incompetence, despite achieving accomplishments and success. This feeling is most common in the workplace, but it can manifest itself in just about any part of life. Those with imposter syndrome often go to great lengths to hide it, which can stunt their future success.
People who suffer from this syndrome often feel like frauds—despite being smart, skilled, capable professionals who actually deserve whatever commendations and praise they’re given. Rather than celebrating their accomplishments, they worry that they’ve somehow tricked people into thinking they’re good enough. As a result, they live in fear of being “found out” or “exposed.”
There are a variety of reasons why a person may feel like an imposter ranging from perfectionism to family upbringing. Regardless of the cause, this toxic line of thinking results in reduced self-confidence, low self-esteem, and limited ability to celebrate well-deserved success.
How common is imposter syndrome?
Impostor syndrome is actually fairly common: Researchers have found that up to 82% of people have suffered from it at one point or another. But the fact that it’s common doesn’t make it any less damaging to a person’s confidence and career growth. If anything, more people are unable to show up fully in their work than ever before which is concerning for several reasons.
How to Tell If You Have Imposter Syndrome
We often overlook the signs of impostor syndrome that come up in our day-to-day lives. However, recognizing these signs is the first step toward overcoming them.
You might suffer from impostor syndrome if:
- You feel like you “got lucky” when you actually prepared well and worked hard.
- You find it hard to accept praise.
- You apologize for yourself when you didn’t actually do something wrong.
- You hold yourself to incredibly —sometimes impossibly—high standards.
- You find the fear of failure paralyzing.
- You avoid expressing confidence because you think people will see it as overcompensating or obnoxious.
- You’re convinced you’re not enough.
- People close to you say you’re not as confident as you used to be.
- You turn down opportunities for growth or visibility at work.
Pay attention to your language choices, both when you’re talking to other people and when you’re talking to yourself—especially when it comes to talking about work. If you find your own success or the praise others give you uncomfortable, do some reflective thinking on where those types of thoughts came from and what it means in your professional life.
The Impact of Imposter Syndrome
Imposter …read more
Source:: HubSpot Blog
