Your imposter syndrome is holding you back.

Have you ever achieved something and left like you did not deserve it?

Thoughts like

Why am I in this place?

I don’t fit in.

“I’m a complete fraud, and eventually, everyone will find out,”

This article will be about the imposter syndrome. There is a great deal of pressure to succeed in our culture. Mixing up the concepts of worthiness, love, and acceptance is easy. Self-worth is made dependent on success.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome, also known as perceived fraudulence, is characterized by persistent feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, regardless of your qualifications, work history, and accomplishments. These feelings often accompany individuals, especially those grappling with depression and anxiety, leading them to discount their own achievements and fear being exposed as a fraud.

You could work harder and set higher goals to combat these emotions. However, this pressure may adversely affect your work and mental health over time.

The imposter feeling is a clash between how you see yourself and others.

Even though many recognise your brilliance, you attribute your triumphs to timing and luck. As a result, you don’t think you merited them and worry that others may eventually come to the same conclusion.

As a result, you put pressure on yourself to work more so that you can:

• prevent others from seeing your flaws or inadequacies

• and becoming deserving of jobs you feel you don’t

• compensate for what you think about yourself.

There is nothing wrong with having self-doubt occasionally. However, most experts concur that frequency is the key. Most people experience impostor syndrome sometimes, especially in stressful situations like speaking in front of a big audience, starting a new job, or going on a blind date.

Self-doubt is common during adolescence, for instance. So the crucial questions to ask yourself are: Is your self-doubt developmentally appropriate? Is it a constant, bothersome experience? Or is it a passing circumstance?

The imposter phenomenon is a very genuine and particular type of intellectual self-doubt, even though it isn’t an official illness recognised by the DSM. Anxiety and, frequently, despair are usually present along with impostor sentiments.

How can you tell whether you suffer from impostor syndrome?

Trait anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder are commonly linked to imposter syndrome.

• All of your experiences—past, present, and future—have been marked by pervasive self-doubt.

• Despite your objective triumphs, you always worry that you’ll be “found out” or exposed as a fraud.

• You blame luck or refer to it as a fluke when successful. Instead of joy and pride, you could experience relief or even pain.

• You seek approval from those in positions of power, such as your job or family members, and you give them the ability to decide whether you will succeed or fail.

What causes this Imposter syndrome?

Multiple factors, such as personality qualities (perfectionism) and family history, will likely lead to imposter syndrome. According to one idea, Imposter syndrome may have roots in families that place high importance on performance. According to another concept, it starts when families have significant conflict and poor support.

Having impostor feelings is possible if your parents:

Compared you to your sibling(s), were too controlling or protective, stressed your natural brilliance, and harshly criticised your faults; urged you to perform well in school;

Childhood academic achievement may also lead to experiences of impostor syndrome later in life.

Self-doubt, confusion about your skills and abilities, and a sense of unworthiness that doesn’t align with what others think of you are all characteristics of true impostor sentiments.

In other words, you believe you have deceived people into thinking you are someone you are not.

But what if you work in a setting where your coworkers exclude you or indicate that you don’t deserve success? The lack of other people of colour in your class or a direct statement from your boss that “Women normally don’t make it in this career” are two possible reasons.

It’s very natural if you start to feel unwelcome and unworthy. Then, it is not you; it’s your environment.

Working harder and getting better might not make much of a difference in your self-image if you feel like a fraud.

What can you do to minimise this imposter syndrome?

You may effectively deal with impostor sentiments by using these techniques.

Recognise your emotions

Finding impostor sentiments and exposing them to the light can serve many purposes.

Discussing your distress with a trustworthy friend or mentor may be helpful to gain some perspective on the circumstance.

Imposter feelings might be made to seem less overpowering by sharing them.

By telling your peers how you’re feeling, you inspire others to do the same, which makes you know you’re not the only one with this feeling.

make connections;

Try not to succumb to the impulse to handle everything oneself. Instead, seek out your classmates, fellow students, and employees to form a solidarity network.

Remember that you need help to do things. Your connections can.

Challenge your Thoughts

When you get impostor feelings, examine your beliefs to see whether any facts back them up. Next, seek supporting evidence to refute them.

Let’s say you’re considering applying for a promotion but must confirm your qualifications. You may still be troubled by a little error you made on a project a few months ago. Or perhaps you believe that your coworkers who compliment your job primarily do it out of sympathy. Challenging that thought might help you.

Don’t evaluate yourself against others.

Everyone has unique talents. Because someone saw your potential and abilities, you are where you are now.

You don’t have to succeed at everything; even if you don’t, that’s okay. Nearly no one can “do it all.” Even when it appears that someone is in complete control, this may only sometimes be the case.

Even if someone else picks up a new ability immediately, it’s okay to take some time to learn it.

Allow enough time for yourself. Things will get better if you give yourself time and care.

FAQ’s

Is imposter syndrome a mental health disorder?

Imposter syndrome is not an official diagnosis, but it can be associated with many mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. It should be sought for support for chronic issues.

Can imposter syndrome hold people back?

Yes, imposter syndrome can hold people back from doing the things they like or are good at. Self-doubt, fear of failure and reluctance to accept that there is a problem can make the feelings of imposterism significant.