So you’re asked a question in a meeting and with all eyes staring at you, you begin to doubt yourself. Even with all your knowledge and years of experience, suddenly you don’t feel qualified enough, or up-to-date enough. Or perhaps you doubt your suitability for a new role that your colleagues think you’re perfect for? Or perhaps you feel that if you just did that one additional course or qualification, THEN you’d feel qualified enough?
Many executive coaches will have immensely capable clients, who instead of waiting to be snapped up by the competition, are simply waiting to be discovered as a fraud and fired
If any of that sounds familiar, then know that you are not alone. 70% of us (especially females) experience imposter syndrome at some time in our lives. It impacts capable, rational, intelligent people, who everyone else typically views as successes. People like Michelle Obama, David Bowie and even Einstein. In fact the higher up the ladder you go, the more common it is. Apparently it is the CEO’s number one fear. Many executive coaches will have immensely capable clients, who instead of waiting to be snapped up by the competition, are simply waiting to be discovered as a fraud and fired.
The fact that it affects capable, rational and intelligent people should start to give us a clue about it’s cause; namely that imposter syndrome is a mind trap – a story that you tell yourself. The good news about mind traps is that once we’ve spotted them, we can start to deal with them. Incorrect inner beliefs can be changed over time.
Over the next few articles, I’ll explore more about imposter syndrome and some mind hacks that can help manage it. But first of all, let’s understand the nature of what we’re dealing with.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome typically shows itself in a number of key ways
1. Anxiety and self-doubt
Frequently comparing yourself negatively to others
Constantly worrying what others will think of you, perhaps to the point of censoring what you say
Afraid you won’t live up to the expectations of others
Never feeling like you’re doing your job (or your life) ‘well enough’
2. Perfectionism and over-achievement
Discounting or disbelieving any praise received, brushing it off as nothing. ‘It was simply good timing. They made a mistake. Anyone could have done it’
Holding yourself to unachievably high standards, which would be impossible for others to meet
Feeling that your expertise and experience isn’t enough, but solvable by more books, courses or qualifications
Exhausting yourself trying to keep up pretense of being good enough
3. Fear of failure and rejection
Feeling like an incompetent fraud and that it’s only a matter of time before others reach the same conclusion
Having a sense of shame. Others would reject you if they knew the real you
Avoiding feedback. It may prove you to be the fraud that you believe yourself to be
Staying vigilant at all times for the potential of rejection
Feeling like you are your own worst enemy and not even on your own side
Daydreaming about an easier life
The Outcome of Imposter Syndrome
And the outcome of all of this ruminating, self-doubt, of feeling not OK and not enough? A massive on-going toll on confidence and possibly career success. Smart, capable people who may not reach their full potential. Or if they do reach their potential, all of this striving, driving, pushing forward and … hiding and masking … gets in the way of the sense of achievement of getting there. It gets in the way of the joy of the journey. The joy of the big wins and the little wins, the joy of learning and growing and the joy of being able to show the real, authentic version of you. All of that gets lost, sometimes along with joy itself.
If any of this sounds a bit too familiar, fear not. Start by remembering that imposter syndrome typically only impacts the most capable. Also know that there are some relatively simple mind hacks that can change things for the better.
In my next articles I’ll explore what causes imposter syndrome and offer some simple mind hacks to try.
Debbie Jeremiah is a regressionist and hypnotherapist, with a background in corporate leadership learning. She helps leaders to change their outer world, by changing the beliefs within their inner world. These are her own thoughts and opinions and as such, may contain inaccuracies and biases.
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