Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome affects many successful individuals, causing them to doubt their achievements and fear being exposed as frauds. Approximately 70% of people experience this psychological mismatch between their competence and self-image. 

Men with impostor syndrome often avoid challenging situations and compare themselves to less skilled colleagues to reduce anxiety. However, this can hinder their career growth. Women, on the other hand, tackle challenging roles and work extra hard to suppress their impostor feelings, but they might not feel satisfied with their performance.

Marginalized community members might face additional challenges, as they may encounter skepticism about their qualifications from the majority community. Companies emphasizing their diversity in public relations can unintentionally reinforce these doubts.

3 C's Strategy 

Impostor syndrome can lead to anxiety and depression, pushing people to overwork or aim for perfection to hide their feelings of inadequacy. It can also cause hesitation in negotiating, networking, seeking promotions, and setting career goals. To beat impostor syndrome, use the 3 C's Strategy:

1. Clarify: Understand your strengths and areas for improvement.
2. Choose: Decide on actions that align with your goals and values.
3. Create: Develop a plan to achieve your objectives and overcome challenges.

Clarify inner impostor syndrome narrative

Your impostor syndrome may come from how you were raised. For instance, if your family always saw your sibling as the smart one, you might attribute your success to social skills instead of intelligence, even if you did better in school. 

Alternatively, if you were seen as intellectually advanced as a child and believed you could handle any challenge, struggling with a task later on might make you doubt yourself.

Identify situations that trigger these feelings. For example, starting a new job where you feel unqualified might make you think you lack the skills, that your promotion was a mistake, and that trying to do the job will expose your inadequacy. Examine these scenarios to spot what they have in common and find out what caused them. Look at the thoughts, feelings, and actions that happen in these situations.

Therapists Michael White and David Epston came up with a clever trick called "narrative therapy" to help people tackle tough problems by separating them from their identity. To give it a try, first, think about where your impostor syndrome comes from. Think about how it messes with your career and life. Then, spice up your story with a "thickening narrative" to add more depth.

For Example, maybe you always felt like the not-so-smart one compared to your sister. She seemed to breeze through learning while you had to sweat it out. But think deeper: Maybe you both just learn in different ways. She might pick things up easily through talking, while you need to read and write. So, it's not that she's smarter, just that your learning styles are different.

Choose practical steps to overcome Imposter Syndrome

Following are the common practical steps to  overcome Imposter syndrome:

• Share your impostor syndrome fears with trusted people in your life. Keeping it all inside is tough.
• Start recognizing your achievements. Don't brush off compliments. Even the small wins count, like finishing a big project or landing a role on a committee.
• Know your strengths. Don't sell yourself short thinking you're talentless. Your people skills matter too.
•  Stop fixating on what you lack and focus on what you're good at, like staying calm in a crisis or always hitting deadlines.

Control your "Automatic Negative Thoughts" (ANTs), which pop up unexpectedly when you face something that triggers them. They show up in three ways:

• Mind reading: Thinking you know what others think about you.
• Labeling: Quickly calling yourself negative names, like "stupid."
• Catastrophizing: Worrying that your mistakes will cause big problems, like losing your job.

Defeat Negative Thoughts and Practice Self-Care

Beat negative thoughts with rational responses. Fight back each bad thought with a realistic positive one. When you're worried sick, Swap those negatives for positives until it’s second nature. And don't forget to pump yourself up in the mirror each morning. Self-care isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity. If you're battling impostor syndrome, you're at risk of burning out with symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

Impostor syndrome can make it tough to prioritize self-care. You might find it hard to set boundaries around your work life. Maybe sometimes, the culture at your job only makes it worse, glorifying overwork and extreme dedication. So, take charge of your self-care routine by taking a good look at your job environment. Identify what's adding fuel to your impostor's feelings.

Set clear boundaries for work, like deciding when to start and finish your day. Make sure you know exactly what your job entails and what counts as doing it well. Talk it over with your boss for extra clarity. Don't forget about taking care of yourself! Doing things like working out meditating, or even just treating yourself to something nice can stop you from burning out. Start with positive micro habits like going to the gym or doing yoga, and then build up from there.

Create new roles

Perfectionism can block self-care. To break free, stop comparing yourself to others and only compare yourself to your past performance. Set achievable standards for your work and seek input from others on what those standards should be. See mistakes as chances to learn and grow.

Check out the roles you usually take on. If you're dealing with impostor syndrome, these roles might make you feel better temporarily, but they make things worse in the long run:

• The Helper: You're always solving problems for others but never ask for help yourself.
• The Failure Avoider: You avoid risks like trying challenging projects or asking for a raise. Sure, it eases your anxiety, but it holds you back from growing.
• The Behind-the-Scenes Leader: You prefer to work behind the scenes instead of taking visible action, like speaking up in meetings. You might be effective, but you miss out on the recognition that can help your career.

Experiment with different roles, but don't give up your usual ones. Try new activities linked to different roles, even if they seem opposite to your usual ones. For instance, ask a colleague, family member, or friend for advice on a problem. Take on a challenging project that pushes your limits, even if there's a chance of failure.

Dream Team

Form a supportive "Dream Team" that includes professionals like therapists and career coaches, as well as personal supporters. Each team member plays a specific role:

1. Mentor: Connect with a successful person in your field who can offer advice and reduce feelings of isolation.
2. Cheerleader: Find someone who can offer emotional support and encouragement.
3. Grounder: Have someone who can provide objective feedback when negative thoughts arise.
4. Action Planner: Work with someone skilled in interpersonal communication to help you assess and address problems.
5. Big-Picture Person: Find a friend who can help you see the larger context of your life and challenges.
6. Impostor Expert: Consult with someone knowledgeable about impostor syndrome who can help you navigate triggers and defense mechanisms.

Create tools to support your recovery, like "coping cards" that list the skills you're learning. Use index cards or digital notes on your phone to summarize the factors leading to your impostor syndrome, significant triggers, coping mechanisms, and positive affirmations about your abilities.