What is Imposter Syndrome?
The term “imposter syndrome/phenomenon” was coined by clinical psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes 1978. This ‘ intellectual phoniness’ was found prevalent in high-achieving women. According to the psychologists, this happens due to the early family dynamics and introjection of societal sex-role stereotyping.
Today, the phenomenon is not limited to women. It refers to a behavior where an individual lives in a fear of being exposed and constantly doubts their accomplishments. They downplay their success and consider it a result of good timing or luck.
Signs that you are suffering from Imposter Syndrome
The employment sector today has become more demanding than ever. This has further aggravated the syndrome. Here are a few signs that will tell you if you suffer from the same.
Overworking till the point of exhaustion
You overwork to prove yourself every day. You are the first one in and the last one to leave the office in the evening. You don’t get time for self-care, and it is affecting your physical and mental health.
Constant fear of being exposed
You keep reminding yourself that you are a fraud and will be exposed soon. You feel like you’re fooling your colleagues and boss into thinking that you’re smart. This makes you stressed and anxious all the time at work.
The reluctance in receiving feedback
You don’t feel comfortable receiving feedback and always avoid a conversation with your seniors at work. Positive feedback feels like a scam and a negative one destroys your confidence. Therefore, you try to avoid the situation altogether.
Self-doubting your every decision
You keep second-guessing your decisions and lose time thinking about them. You feel you are not qualified for the job. Also, you feel awkward taking credit and accepting compliments. When someone appreciates you, you reply with ‘I had help from others’ or ‘No, I just got lucky’.
Turning down new opportunities
When you consider your achievement a result of luck, you feel you won’t be able to do it again. You often turn down new projects and leadership opportunities with a fear that they will turn out to be a failure.
You criticize yourself for even minor mistakes
You have this perfectionist attitude where you cannot tolerate criticism. You beat yourself up for even minor mistakes and feel embarrassed about yourself. You let go of others’ mistakes but can’t stand yours.
You compare yourself with others
You feel your colleagues and friends have it all together and deserve to be where they are. You think they are talented and hardworking unlike you who just got lucky.
How to deal with Imposter syndrome?
If you relate to these symptoms, then it’s time you do something about it. You can do the following things to cope up with the syndrome:
Talk about it: Remember, you are not alone in this. If you feel unworthy, then talk to your mentors or manager. Sharing your thoughts and predicaments might make you feel lighter. They might share their own experiences and guide you on how to deal with the syndrome. You can also hire a therapist. They can help you overcome the symptoms and feel better about yourself.
Be kind to yourself: Mistakes don’t define you or your career. Forgive yourself and work to avoid the errors whilst being kind to yourself. Recognize your mistakes and do damage control if you have to, but don’t berate yourself.
Focus on your strengths: It is important to know both your strengths and weaknesses. But you need to become confident in your abilities and focus on your strengths. This will equip you with the power of dealing with your negative thoughts.
Track your success: Even your small wins can help deal with the imposter syndrome. Keep a journal or a document on your computer to jot down daily accomplishments and appreciation from your boss or coworkers. This will help you measure your progress. Read them whenever you need a little cheering up.
Develop a healthy response towards failures: Failures are a part of life. Don’t let them hold you back from a future full of success. Recognize what went wrong on your last attempt and try to avoid it the next time. Adopt a positive attitude and use failure to push yourself to do better.
It’s okay to feel that you don’t belong somewhere. The problem arises when you let this feeling define you. The best thing you can do is seek help and work on yourself rather than overworking to prove that you are ‘enough’.
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Picture credits: Pixabay
Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.