Once you enter your workplace, you ideally want everyone to be satisfied with your performance. You want personal growth, regular recognition, and an occasional pat on the back if you do something right. However, for some people, despite their efforts, there is always an internal mechanism that makes them feel like an impostor.
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? Have you ever felt like you needed to be equipped to perform a particular job? Well, if you have, then you suffer from a condition known as impostor syndrome.
An estimated 70 percent of all people experience the negative feelings associated with impostor syndrome at some point in life. The syndrome can affect people from all walks of and parts of life and isn’t distinguished by gender, age, profession, or any other demographic: men, women, adults, students, actors, miners, executives, and marketing professionals can all feel this syndrome during some part of their professional or business life.
Impostor syndrome typically results from your inability to trust your abilities and self-confidence. The syndrome can lead you to question yourself and bring about a sea of negativity that can damage your confidence.
This article examines the impostor syndrome, its present predicaments, and how people can overcome it. Stay with us and read on to battle a condition you have silently suffered for ages.
What is Impostor Syndrome?
To people who aren’t aware of it, impostor syndrome is a sense of self-doubt that can creep into you with time. The doubt relates to your professional accomplishments and can be connected to work. Someone in a professional setting may consider themselves an impostor because they aren’t sure they deserve a job.
A typical symptom of impostor syndrome is the constant and nagging fear that you are duping your coworkers into thinking you are good at your job.
Other common symptoms associated with the syndrome include:
- A constant feeling is that you have achieved what you have done in life through pure luck rather than your abilities. You may start undermining your skills and not considering your effort’s results.
- Determining your self-worth is based on how you view your achievements and current standing in life. You may consider yourself someone who has just been lucky and doesn’t deserve any credit for what you have achieved through hard work and effort.
- You may feel a never-ending urge to be a perfectionist in everything you do. It would help if you were a perfectionist to stand out in front of others.
- You might sacrifice your social life and other gatherings to get more work done in the office. Your presumed self-worth will depend on how much overtime you pull off at work and how you view it.
- Sacrificing your well-being to get more work done. You do not prioritize your well-being and aren’t focusing on the things that matter.
- You may sometimes try sitting alone and isolating yourself from others so that others don’t get the hang of your ‘secret.’
- Taking your eyes away from all mental health issues and problems you may suffer due to burnout and overwork.
- Constantly living in the fear that someone may figure out you aren’t competent enough. Especially if there is some proof that may prove the same.
If you can associate with any of the feelings or symptoms listed above, you probably suffer from impostor syndrome. According to recent research, nearly 62 percent or 2/3rds of the workforce suffers from impostor syndrome. The types and variants of the syndrome can vary from person to person and aren’t always the same. The depth of the problem may differ from person to person.
Also, contrary to popular belief, impostor syndrome doesn’t happen to new hires. The syndrome can also occur in people working in senior positions and can significantly disrupt their working patterns.
Characteristics of an Impostor Syndrome
Impostor Syndrome can manifest within your daily routine and appear through different characteristics and habits.
Some of the typical characteristics that you may associate with the syndrome include:
- Heavy bouts of self-doubt, where you don’t believe in your abilities.
- Credit external factors such as luck for your success in work and business.
- Inability to gauge your competence and skills. It may reflect in your personal and monetary growth.
- The fear that you aren’t as good as the others.
- Sabotaging your efforts through damaging levels of doubt.
- Seeking perfectionism and eventually not crediting yourself for it.
- Disconnecting from other members of your team and isolating yourself from them.
- Overworking yourself to prove your worth and finally entering burnout.
- Lower self-esteem.
- Setting increasingly high standards for yourself. Criteria that you cannot meet.
- The growing fear of failure whenever you do something new.
- Lack of confidence.
These characteristics can grow and aggravate over time if you don’t fully understand your imposter syndrome and keep taking it lightly.
Tips to Cope With the Impostor Syndrome
Struggling with impostor syndrome can be pretty complicated and can bring forth a world of emotions and self-doubt. If you are currently suffering from impostor syndrome, you would be glad to know that you can take several steps and actions to reduce depression and anxiety due to the syndrome.
The most important thing to do during this challenging period is to remember that you aren’t alone during these complications. There are several steps that you can take to make sure that your feelings are in check.
Focus on Facts over Sentiments
The most significant sign of impostor syndrome is that you don’t feel as confident about your work under its influence. You start to think that you need to be better at your job. While these feelings can be hard to combat, you should focus on the facts over your emotions and superstitions.
Facts are based on solid evidence and things that determine the truth. Conversely, opinions are made on stories and self-perceived versions of the trust. You cannot stop your brain from creating accounts and falling prey to them, but you can stop it from negating facts, which should define your perception of reality.
Acknowledge and Validate Feelings before Letting Go
Just because you must go for facts, as mentioned above, doesn’t necessarily mean you should completely invalidate your feelings. Fighting impostor syndrome isn’t just about ignoring the emotions you have. Instead, your best bet at fighting this emotion is acknowledging how and why you feel that way.
Validation is necessary, as it can help you let the feelings go without impacting you further. Moving on from your emotions shouldn’t make you ignore them altogether but should be geared towards carrying on with the day. Keep your head high.
Share What You’re Feeling
Impostor Syndrome can make you gravitate towards isolation and a lack of self-worth. You feel like interacting with only a few people as your self-worth dwindles. The feelings you experience as part of your impostor syndrome are prevalent inside the workplace.
Almost 62 percent of all workers suffer from the syndrome, but we haven’t seen many of them talk about it around us. Why is that so? Because people with impostor syndrome have difficulty discussing their feelings with others!
Sharing with others should be your go-to option and can bring about the following benefits:
- Sharing Helps You Move On Sharing your feelings with others can help you move on rather than internalizing them within you. Sharing can also be the right step toward eliminating the syndrome as a whole.
- You Might Find Other Victims: Impostor syndrome has victims all over the workplace today. 2/3 people suffer from the syndrome, and sharing your grief in public might help you find someone else who is also suffering from the syndrome. You can then learn from the coping mechanisms they follow and implement them in your schedule.
Look for Evidence to Negate Your Feelings
If acknowledging and sharing the feelings related to your impostor syndrome doesn’t work, you should devise a strategy to find evidence to help combat the feelings.
If you cannot finish work in time, review your past projects and see how you completed them. Some positive reinforcement in the shape of historical evidence and data doesn’t harm anyone.
Reframe Thoughts
Our thoughts can be compelling. Our mindset and how we look at the world can determine our perception of reality and the positive and negative aspects we host in our heads. If you have a negative perception of the world around you, you can start monitoring the voice in your head and coming up with ways to squish it where you can.
While you won’t get immediate results, you can alter situations based on this strategy. For instance, if you make mistakes, you should develop ideas to improve rather than entertain the mindset that you aren’t worth anything.
Look for Mentors
Mentors can help you overcome impostor syndrome and develop a positive strategy to negate the damage. A good mentor will help improve your perception of the self and help whisper positivity in your head in the face of all the negative thoughts.
Ideally, it would be best if you are looking for someone in your industry or field who can pass on some wisdom and support you in your initiatives. The mentor you choose should be someone who has complete trust in your abilities and knows you are an able performer.
Learn From Team Members and Stop Comparisons
Comparisons are at the root of all evil caused by impostor syndrome. You start feeling disappointed when you stop learning from your team members and start comparing yourself to them. Do not compare your abilities to those of your teammates and peers.
Instead of comparing yourself with every living thing that breathes, try learning from others who do something better than you. If a colleague is better at closing sales, you should ask them for tips and assistance to help you improve your sales. They definitely will, and you can use that to reach favorable conclusions.
Toot Your Own Horn
Sometimes the best technique to fight impostor syndrome is to be your motivation and start tooting your own horn. Adapt the head-on approach and capture the bull by the collar. The next time you feel like you did an excellent job on a project, you should celebrate it.
Please share your accomplishments with other team members and your joys with them. Try mentioning all your strengths and qualities on a paper, which you can follow in the long run. Celebrate attributes like helping your team members and completing a project. These skills can add to your positive feelings of self-worth and help your overall self-image.
In conclusion, impostor syndrome might seem daunting, but it can be overcome with time and effort. Following the tips in this article and choosing the right strategies, you can fight your impostor syndrome and emerge victorious.
