Do you ever feel like you are not good enough? Do you worry that you are just a fraud, waiting to be exposed? If so you may be experiencing imposter syndrome. A psychological negative thought pattern that damages you mentally.
This pervasive feeling of inadequacy can impact anyone, from students and professionals to athletes and entrepreneurs. This problem affects countless individuals across all walks of life.
In this article, I will be going to discuss what is imposter syndrome, its causes, characteristics, types, and most important the 10 effective ways to overcome this problem and start feeling more confident and self-assured in your abilities.
Whether you are struggling with feelings of self-doubt or simply looking to boost your self-esteem, this article will help you take control of imposter syndrome and reach your full potential. So let’s get started…
Table of Contents
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Albert Einstein described himself as an involuntary swindler whose work didn’t deserve as much attention as it had received. You know accomplishments at this level are rare but their feeling of fraudulence is extremely common.
Why can’t so many of us shake feelings that we haven’t earned our accomplishments or that our ideas and skills are not worthy of others’ attention? This feeling of I am not good enough is experienced by every individual on this planet.
Psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes were the first to identify and study this unwarranted sense of insecurity which was later called as imposter phenomenon or imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon characterized by feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and fear of being exposed as fraud, despite evidence of one’s competence and achievements.
It is that sneaky little voice inside your head that whispers “You don’t deserve this,” “You are not good enough,” or “You are a fraud.” It’s like a constant critic that keeps you from feeling confident in your abilities and it affects people from all walks of life.
Those who experience this phenomenon often believe that their success is due to luck, timing, or the efforts of others rather than their own skills and abilities. This is a condition where people feel anxious about their success and do not experience success internally.
Research shows that imposter syndrome affects people of all genders, races, and ages, and can be particularly prevalent among high-achieving individuals such as entrepreneurs, working professionals, students, artists, athletes, etc.
People who have achieved a lot in their careers sometimes feel like they can’t continue at the same pace they have been. They may feel ashamed about this and suffer in silence, thinking that they are the only ones who feel this way.
This is nothing but the imposter phenomenon. Many people experience this, but they don’t talk about it because they feel embarrassed. It’s important to know that you are not alone if you feel this way. There are so many people going through the same feeling many times in their life.
Examples of Imposter Syndrome:
To better understand this imposter phenomenon, let’s see some everyday life examples in the context of student life, working professional life, and entrepreneur life:
- Rohan who is consistently performed well in academics but still constantly doubts his abilities and feels like he doesn’t deserve good grades on the exam.
- Ram has been working as a Marketing manager for 5 months in the company, yet when people call him by his job title he feels like a fraud. Because according to him, he hasn’t mastered that position.
- Shashi started his online business, however, she doesn’t like to promote herself because she thinks that she won’t have the same level of experience or expertise as others in her field. This makes her feel like a fraud.
Causes of Imposter Phenomenon:
Some well-known researchers and psychologists did a study on imposter syndrome, and from that study, they found that this imposter phenomenon was connected to a lot of different factors like family upbringing, societal pressures, surrounding environment, personality, etc.
Let’s explore some of the most important causes of the imposter phenomenon:
1. Family upbringing –
Your family upbringing and how your family treated you from your childhood affect a lot on you. Sometimes parents are too overprotective toward their children or always try to control their children both types of parenting styles may contribute to imposter syndrome in children.
If you were constantly criticized or belittled as a child you may develop a belief that you are not good enough. This will lead to imposter issues as an adult. To deal with this you need to work on building self-esteem and confidence.
2. Societal pressure –
Societal pressure can also contribute to imposter syndrome. Many people feel like they have to live up to certain expectations set by society, whether it’s in their careers, relationships, or personal life.
This pressure can lead to a constant fear of being exposed as a fraud. To deal with this you need to redefine success for yourself and focus on your own definition of what success means to you.
3. Past experiences –
Past experiences can also contribute to the imposter phenomenon. Individuals who have experienced failure or rejection in the past may feel like they are not capable of success. They believe that their success is simply a result of luck or chance, rather than their abilities.
4. New changes in life
Sometimes changes in life also lead to imposter syndrome. For example – starting a new job might leave you feeling as though you don’t belong and are not capable. You may also experience the same feeling when you start your own business or start a new position at the workplace.
Imposter issue is more common when you going through a transition or trying new things. Because the pressure to achieve and succeed at the first attempt can trigger the feeling of self-doubt in these new roles & responsibilities.
5. Personality
There are some personality traits that are linked to a higher risk of imposter syndrome:
- Low self-efficacy – Low self-efficacy refers to the belief or perception that one lacks the ability or skills to successfully perform a particular task or achieve a particular goal. People with low self-efficacy tend to have less confidence in their abilities and may feel anxious or doubtful about their chances of success.
- Introversion – Introverted individuals may be more likely to feel like imposters in social situations as they may feel like they don’t belong or are not as outgoing as others.
- Neuroticism – Individuals who are prone to anxiety and self-doubt may be more likely to experience imposter syndrome.
- Perfectionism – People who strive for perfection may set extremely high standards for themselves leading to a constant feeling of falling short.
- High achievement orientation – People who are highly motivated to achieve may experience imposter syndrome when they reach their goals, fearing that they are not good enough to have accomplished them.
Characteristics of Imposter Phenomenon:
Generally, we all doubt our skills and abilities sometimes but when we can call that feeling an imposter phenomenon? that’s the question. There are some most common characteristics of imposter syndrome which can help you understand whether you are going through this issue or not.
Self-doubt –
This is the most common characteristic of individuals with imposter syndrome. They often doubt their abilities and feel like they are not worthy of their accomplishments. They may believe that their success is due to luck or external factors, rather than their own skills or hard work.
It’s a persistent feeling of inadequacy, no matter how much you accomplish. You could have all the degrees, awards, and accolades in the world, and still, feel like you don’t deserve them. (Check out – How to overcome self-doubt?)
Overachievement –
People with the imposter phenomenon may overwork or overprepare to compensate for their perceived lack of ability. They may feel like they have to work harder than others to prove their worth. This can lead to burnout and feelings of exhaustion.
Fear of failure –
People with the imposter phenomenon have a deep-seated fear of failure which can lead to procrastination or avoiding challenging tasks altogether. This fear can lead to missed opportunities and a lack of personal as well as professional growth. (Check out – How to overcome your biggest fear?)
Attributing your success to external factors –
People with the imposter phenomenon have the tendency to downplay their accomplishments or attribute their success to external factors, such as luck or timing, rather than their own skills and abilities.
You might think “I only got this job because of hiring manager was desperate.” or “I got this award because the judges felt sorry for me.” It’s hard to give yourself credit for your own achievements when you are convinced that they are not really yours.
Comparison to others –
Individuals with the imposter phenomenon may constantly compare themselves to others, particularly those who they perceive as more successful or competent.
They focus more on the achievements of others and feel inadequate in comparison. There is a constant feeling in their mind that they are not as good as others.
Internalized criticism –
People with the imposter phenomenon often have an internalized critical voice that tells them that they are not good enough or that they will fail. This voice can be difficult to overcome, even with external evidence of their success.
Perfectionism –
A perfectionist mindset is one of the characteristics of the imposter phenomenon. People with a perfectionist mindset always feel like they need to be perfect in order to succeed.
They set high standards for themselves and feel like they must meet them perfectly. This can lead to a never-ending cycle of self-criticism and self-doubt.
Types of Imposter Syndrome:
There are 5 main types of Imposter Syndrome that you need to know so that you can take action to overcome these different types. For that, you need to understand these 5 types first. Let’s see one by one
1. Perfectionist Imposter:
People with his type of imposter sets extremely high standards for themself and feel like a failure if those standards are not met. Perfectionists are often afraid to take risks and make mistakes, and they may feel like they are not living up to their own expectations.
For example, A software developer who constantly checks and double checks their code to make sure it is perfect, even if it means missing deadlines.
2. Expert Imposter:
People with this type of imposter feel like fraud despite having achieved a high level of success or expertise in a particular area. Expert type often feels like they don’t deserve their success and worry that they will be exposed as a fraud.
For example, medical researcher, who is hesitant to publish their findings because they believe they have not done enough research, even though their findings are significant.
3. Soloist Imposter:
People with this type of imposter feel like they have to do everything by themself and that asking for help is a sign of weakness. The soloist type feels like they are not capable of handling the challenges they face and worry that others will think less of them if they ask for help.
For example, An entrepreneur, who refuses to hire employees or work with a team because they believe they can do everything themselves.
4. Superhero Imposter:
People with this type of imposter feel like they have to work harder and be more productive than everyone else to prove their self-worth.
The superhero type feels like they are not doing enough and worry that they will be judged harshly if they don’t meet their own set high standards.
For example, a teacher, who takes on extra duties like coaching sports teams and organizing events, even though they are already overwhelmed with their regular workload.
5. Natural Genius Imposter:
People with this type of imposter feel like fraud simply because they don’t believe that they are naturally intelligent or competent and that any struggle or effort is a sign of weakness or incompetence.
The natural genius type feels like they are not as smart or talented as others and worry that they will be exposed as frauds if they have to work hard to achieve their goals.
For example, A math prodigy who struggles with public speaking and avoids it because they feel like they should be able to do it effortlessly.
10 ways to Deal with Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome starts becoming a huge problem when you start reacting to every negative thought that comes into your mind. You need to understand that all the negative thoughts coming into your mind are not true and you don’t need to react to them immediately.
You should take some time to reflect on those thoughts and deal with your thoughts, feelings, and emotions mindfully. Follow these simple 5 steps initially;
- Stop – It starts with stopping in your tracks and taking a moment to pause. Just pause and avoid reacting to the thought or situation.
- Breath – Take a deep breath and let go of any thoughts that are weighing you down. Just be in the present moment and allow yourself to relax.
- Notice – Notice everything around you, your feelings, your body, your surroundings, your peers, the situation, your reaction, and anything else that you can observe. This act of mindful awareness can help you to gain perspective and see things more clearly.
- Reassess – Ask yourself why you are feeling the way you do and examine the root cause of your imposter syndrome. Is it a lack of confidence or fear of failure? Once you identified the underlying issue, you can start to develop a plan to address it.
- Respond – With a clear mind and a better understanding of the situation, you can choose how to react in a way that serves you best. Instead of giving in to feelings of self-doubt and insecurity, you can respond with confidence and purpose.
You can use this 5-step technique to deal with imposter syndrome but along with that, you need to also focus on how to deal with it in the long term for that, there are 10 effective ways you can implement on daily basis in your life.
These 10 ways are like habits to deal with imposter syndrome which you can build slowly to get results in the long term. Let’s understand these 10 effective ways one by one.
1. Acknowledge your achievements:
Take a moment to reflect on all the things you have achieved so far. Write them down, no matter how small they seem. Celebrate each accomplishment and remind yourself that you deserve to be where you are. Do this at least once a week ( you can do this on Sunday).
2. Don’t compare yourself to others:
Generally, comparison happens naturally but nowadays social media is pushing every individual to compare their life with others, and this only fuels imposter syndrome.
If you compare yourself with others sometimes then it’s ok but if you are doing it on a daily basis that becomes a problem. Remember that everyone has their own unique journey, and your success is not measured by someone else’s. Try to reduce the amount of time you spend on social media to get rid of comparison.
3. Embrace your weakness:
You have been told from childhood that hide your weaknesses, and never tell about your weaknesses to anyone. Because of this, you always try to hide your weaknesses and feel fear of being judged, which fuels imposter syndrome.
Remember the fact, that nobody is perfect in this entire world. Every individual has some strengths and weaknesses. So, instead of dwelling on your weaknesses, embrace them and use them as an opportunity to learn and grow.
4. Remind yourself that it’s normal:
Imposter syndrome is more common than you might think. Many successful people, including actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs have experienced it. It’s ok to feel this way and it doesn’t define you. Don’t react to this feeling too much, just observe and let it go.
5. Talk to someone:
Acknowledge what you are experiencing and share your feelings with someone you trust (friends, family members, therapist, mentor) can help alleviate the pressure and anxiety that imposter syndrome can bring. They may provide you with a fresh perspective or some valuable advice.
6. Take a break:
If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and give yourself some time to recharge. Go for a walk, or do something that brings you joy. Remember that taking care of yourself is important and also deal with the imposter phenomenon.
7. Focus on your goal:
Instead of getting bogged down by the imposter syndrome, focus on your goals, and engage yourself in working towards your goal and what you want to achieve. Keep pushing yourself forward and remind yourself of the progress you have made.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help:
If you are struggling with a particular task or project, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Accept the fact that you don’t know everything and asking for help doesn’t make you weak or incapable, it shows that you are willing to learn and grow.
9. Practice self-compassion:
Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer to a friend. Be patient and forgiving with yourself, and remember that making mistakes is part of the learning process.
10. Seek professional help:
If imposter syndrome is interfering with your daily life or causing significant distress, consider seeking help from a mental health professional. They can help you develop strategies to manage your imposter syndrome and improve your mental well-being. (Check out – CBT therapy to deal with Imposter Syndrome)
Conclusion
Imposter syndrome can be a debilitating experience, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone. Many successful people have struggled with it and there are effective ways to deal with it.
In this article, I have discussed imposter syndrome causes, its types, and characteristics in detail and also shared the 10 effective ways by using that you can start to break free from the negative self-talk and self-doubt that hold you back.
Remember to be kind to yourself, and surround yourself with supportive people who believe in you. With time, practice, and patience you can overcome imposter syndrome and realize your full potential.
If you found this article useful then please share it in your network and subscribe to get more such articles every week.
