5 Secret to Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
Imposter syndrome or impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon that causes a feeling of inadequacy. It is a complex and sometimes irrational feeling that you are a scammer who will be discovered.
It is a psychological condition where a person feels that she does not belong and does not deserve the success she has achieved. This syndrome often plagues high achievers such as successful entrepreneurs and executives.
People who suffer from this syndrome have a belief that they are not intelligent or good enough based on the idea that they have not achieved enough. Most often, people with impostor syndrome attribute their success to chance or an unfair advantage.
It was originally thought to affect only women, but has been shown to affect men as well. Some sources attribute this to the highly competitive nature of the workplace.
Signs that you may be experiencing impostor syndrome
- insecurity about your own abilities
- worry about making mistakesq
- low self-esteem
- feel that others are more talented
- worry that others will find you are less competent or experienced
If you are someone with impostor syndrome, you may be intelligent and successful. Internally, however, you are convinced that the success is luck or a mistake. You constantly compare yourself to colleagues and friends who are more successful.
The key to transforming this feeling is to become aware of your self-doubts and your feelings of inadequacy. If you find yourself feeling anxious or feeling depressed, seek help.
What you can do to overcome it
Identify your top 5 strengths
Each person has a number of qualities in which they excel. eg. creativity, inquisitiveness, communicative, sociable, generous, ... What are yours?
Become aware of your negative self-talk
To boost your self-esteem it's important to become aware of what I call the gorillas on your shoulders. Those gorillas who yell very loudly in your ear what you're all no good at. To become more aware of your negative self-talk you can do the following exercise. Take a sheet of paper and write down any thoughts that come to your mind that bring you down. What do you say to yourself? And when you have that list, consider which thoughts or external situations triggered this negative self-talk.
Set achievable goals for yourself
Goals work best when they are meaningful to you. That's why it's good to set goals that are in line with your values. When determining your goals, look at what you really want right now and what you would be proud of if you achieved it.
Stop comparing yourself to others
The problem is that you often compare yourself to what others post on social media. What you seem to forget is that you compare yourself with the highlights of another. Remind yourself that the 'outside' of others cannot be compared to your 'inside'. By making a list of the triggers that cause you to compare yourself, you will automatically become more aware and you can make a different choice.
Get feedback from mentors
It's good to ask for feedback, especially from those who have more experience and knowledge than you. They can give you constructive criticism that can help you improve where necessary and at the same time they can also show you where you already stand. Asking for feedback means being open to other people's perspectives and valuable input.