Imposter syndrome

Written by : GOHIL SALONI RAJESHKUMAR , CLASS OF 2023.

Imposter syndrome is a condition described as a feeling of inadequacy that persists despite evidence of success. This sensation of chronic self-doubt can feel both undermining and isolating with individuals describing sensations of fraudulence, which over a prolonged period can act as a significant contributor to burnout.

With imposter syndrome , a person doesn’t experience success internally despite having high performance , feel anxious and doesn’t feel confident and competent regardless of what they have achieved. They feel more inadequate than others facing the same complex situation, such that they don’t belong there at all.

To counter these feelings, you might end up working harder and holding yourself to ever higher standards. This pressure can eventually take a toll on your emotional well-being and your performance.

In 1978 by psychologist Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes first identified this condition . They observed this phenomenon in professional women but According to an article published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science.

Impostor syndrome affects all kinds of people from all parts of life: women, men, doctors , students, marketing managers, actors and executives like any field. Around 70% of people at least once in life somewhere experienced these type of feeling.

Here is how imposter syndrome feels like:

• Feeling undeserving of what you have or you’ve achieved

• Feeling out of place despite signs of your success

• Guilt about being successful Questioning if you’re the right person for the job

• Downplaying how successful you are Disbelief about what you’ve achieved Self doubt

• Sensation that my best isn’t enough

• Be overly concerned with what others think of you and be constantly looking for their approval.

• Attributing success to external factors Burnout

• Be fearful of not living up to expectations

• Others are more intelligent and competent than we believe ourselves to be.

Dr. Valerie Young in her book: “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer “defines five types of imposter syndrome:

1. The Perfectionist

2. The Superman/ woman / person

3. The Natural Genius

4. The Soloist

5. The Expert

Many high achievers reach at certain point in their career where they feel like they are not doing enough or unable to keep going. Maybe they can’t keep going at the same peak as they have been, because they doubt themselves for their achievements and feel shameful for asking someone’s opinions for their decision.

Ways to deal with Imposter syndrome:

1. Give yourself credit : See how far you’ve come! when things go well ,praise yourself for whatever you achieved with hard work and believe. And of course don’t forget to celebrate it , doesn’t matter how big or small is it.
   
   

2. Positive Attitude : think positively that I’m always enough and my fear doesn’t change that.
   
   

3. Build self confidence: Becoming more confident doesn’t happen overnight but it will happen with focus ,determination and belief in your ability , skills , experiences.
   
   

4. Remember you are human : Continuously remind yourself that it’s normal and OK to not know everything.
   
   

5. Practice mindfulness.
   
   

6. Talk to Family and friends: Don’t be embraced to Share your feelings. It doesn’t make you incompetent.
   
   

7. Stop comparing : if you want to compare than compare your older version with current version.Take one bite at a time : sometimes we multitask and are not able to give enough value to our task at hand. In the end, we doubt ourselves so take one slice of bread at a time and give full attention to it.
   
   

8. Be realistic: Continue to challenge yourself but be realistic. Mange your expectations sensibly. Then, when you reach at target, truly acknowledge the success.
   
   

9. Accept Failure: expect to succeed but accept that sometimes you will fail. See the positives that failure can bring and treat it as an opportunity to learn something new.

Everyone feels like an imposter sometimes and that’s totally normal. Remember not to aim for perfection but always strive to do your best. Always keep in mind that nobody is perfect and you are nobody!