Do you ever feel like you are not “good enough” to be on a team despite your abilities and qualifications? Or do you ever feel like people will judge you if they find you to be a “fake?” If you experience these feelings, then you may be experiencing imposter syndrome.
What is imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is one’s feeling of self-doubt or incompetence despite their abilities, achievements, and qualifications. Someone experiencing imposter syndrome may feel anxious of being found as a fraud.
Who does imposter syndrome affect?
Anyone can experience imposter syndrome. Up to 82% of people experience symptoms of imposter syndrome. This is especially prevalent among ethnic minorities. Imposter syndrome is experienced by youth and adult professionals alike while being common in all genders.
How can imposter syndrome affect someone?
Imposter syndrome has been associated with increased burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and impaired job performance. Imposter syndrome has been found to be frequently comorbid with anxiety and depression within an individual. Typically, someone impacted by imposter syndrome may devalue their accomplishments, feel afraid that they may be exposed as a “fraud,” and believe that others think too highly of their capabilities.
How can I overcome imposter syndrome?
- Understand that you are not alone. As stated above, up to 82% of people experience the same feelings of self-doubt and incompetence that come with imposter syndrome. Even famous celebrities who are known for their successes like Michelle Obama have experienced this! If you are ever feeling like you are the only person who feels as though they do not belong within a group, there is likely another individual within your group who feels the same about themselves.
- Celebrate successes and achievements. When struggling with imposter syndrome, people tend to downplay their wins. They also are likely to feel relieved after a success instead of taking pride in their accomplishment. No matter how big or small, make sure to celebrate and recognize your successes along with the work it took to get to where you are. This can be as simple as reminding yourself of how proud are of accomplishing something or saving a note from someone that recognized a success.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. It is easy to scroll through social media or listen to people’s stories and believe that we are not as talented or as successful as others. Keeping this in mind, it is important to recognize that everyone is their own person. No one has the exact same background, journey, or achievements. What makes you unique is that you are different than other people, and no one has the same story.
- Adjust your standards. Individuals who experience imposter syndrome tend to be high achievers, or those who set incredibly high expectations and standards for themselves while working to be at the “top.” However, many of these standards can be unrealistic. These standards may feed back into imposter syndrome due to the feeling of being incompetent even though the standard may not have been achievable in the first place. There is no such thing as achieving perfect perfection, and setting extremely high standards for yourself can end up hurting you, your career path, and your passion. It is important to realize that it is completely okay to be unable to do absolutely everything because that is what it means to be human. When setting goals or expectations, make sure to ask yourself whether it will end up benefitting you or hurting you in the long run.
- Talk about your doubts. Are there other coworkers or team members experiencing imposter syndrome? It can help to know that you are not alone. It can also help to share your feelings with a mentor. Mentors may be able to talk about their own experiences with self-doubt or give you insight into how to cope with or overcome your feelings of imposter syndrome. Additionally, talking to a counselor or therapist may help you develop strategies to fight negative feelings of imposter syndrome.
- Embrace confidence. Be that go-getter who is not afraid to make mistakes or share their thoughts, knowledge, and expertise. You are amazing, and you are in that position, role, or job for a reason.
- Remind yourself of your worth. Save notes of praise you receive. Keep track of your successes and favorite moments. Step away from negative thoughts that arise and remember how hard you have worked to get to where you are today. Remember that you are a person who experiences life outside of your school, extracurriculars, work, or programs. Remind yourself that you are amazing and are a hard-worker that does not deserve to be put down by internal thoughts of self-doubt and incompetence. You are worthy, and you are capable of beating that imposter syndrome that may be holding you back from achieving YOUR potential. You got this, and we at STEAM Ready believe in you!