How to Defeat Imposter Syndrome

---

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? Have you ever been certain that if people knew who you really were, you wouldn’t have the opportunities in life or on the job that you currently have?

If so, you aren’t alone. Far from it.

If you have spent much or most of your adult life attributing your success to luck instead of skill, you may be struggling with a rarely-discussed —but widely common—a phenomenon known as imposter syndrome.

Haven’t heard much about it? Here’s what you need to know

What is imposter syndrome?

The short answer: imposter syndrome is feeling like a phony. It can be a crippling form of feeling inadequate.

According to the Harvard Business Review, imposter syndrome is defined as “doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. Many question whether they’re deserving of accolades.”

Here are some common characteristics shared by people with imposter syndrome:

• Consistent attribution of personal success to external factors
• Crippling self-doubt
• Extreme perfectionism
• Fear of failing to meet expectations
• Inability to set achievable goals
• Overachievement
• Pattern of sabotaging success
• Unrealistic assessment of personal competence or skill

Imposter syndrome is first and foremost an internal struggle that can eventually work its way out in the form of self-sabotage, doubt, and depression.

Who does it impact?

According to The Journal of Behavioral Science, as much as 70% of the population deals with imposter syndrome at some point in their lives.

While some people experience imposter syndrome as personally motivational —wanting to prove that they are, in fact, qualified for the success they achieve— most people who deal with imposter syndrome respond to it by feeling anxious.

Here are two groups of people particularly susceptible to imposter syndrome.

• Women. When imposter syndrome was first documented in the 1970s, it was because of the prevalence of this phenomenon in high-achieving women. And even today, imposter syndrome is shown to be more prevalent in women than in men. Last year, the BBC documented the higher instances of imposter syndrome in women, particularly in women of color.
• Millennials. An article in Forbes Magazine revealed that Millennials are especially prone to imposter syndrome “not only because of technological advancements within their lifetime, societal pressures, and social media comparisons but also because of their parents. Millennials are members of the trophy generation, raised by parents who send mixed messages— alternating between over-praise and criticism.”

But no matter your gender or generation, you are susceptible to imposter syndrome simply because you are human.

How it impacts you

Unsure whether you battle imposter syndrome? Here are a few simple questions to ask yourself.

• Do you worry about being found out to be a phony?
• Do you beat yourself up over tiny mistakes or perceived flaws in your work?
• Are you overly sensitive to criticism, even if it’s meant to be helpful or constructive?
• Do you tend to downplay your expertise, particularly in areas where you are legitimately more skilled than other people?
• Do you consistently attribute your success to factors or people other than yourself?

If you answered “yes” to two or more of these, you may be dealing with imposter syndrome.

So what impact does imposter syndrome have on you? You may deal with higher levels of anxiety and depression. You might have self-doubt and diminished self-confidence. Or feel like you don’t belong in your school, job, peer group, or society.

All of this can understandably be disastrous for your mental health.

You deserve better.

How to defeat it

If you believe you may be dealing with imposter syndrome, you’re already on your way to recovery since honesty and identification are the first important steps.

And here’s what you can do next:

1. Acknowledge that imposter syndrome is a form of fear. Once we see imposter syndrome for what it actually is— fear gone wild— we can start to address and deny its power. Imposter syndrome is actually a fear that we won’t be enough, that we won’t measure up, or that others will consider us a fraud.
2. Pay attention to what triggers your feelings of inadequacy. Are you more or less depressed after spending time on social media? Does spending time with a certain person or group of people leave you feeling like you’re not valuable? You may not be able to avoid these people or situations entirely, but you can at least see the patterns and refuse to be harmed by them.
3. Refuse to play the comparison game. Comparison fuels imposter syndrome, because it always tells us we don’t measure up to our peers. And very often, we’re comparing our mundane, daily activities to someone else’s highlight reel on Instagram. It helps to remember that if 70% of the population deals with imposter syndrome, most of our friends and co-workers are feeling just as inadequate as we are.
4. Talk to someone to improve your mental health. Don’t suffer silently. Talk to a trusted mentor or friend to see if others recognize this struggle in you. Even just saying it out loud can help remove some of its power.
5. Identify your strengths. Be honest about what you truly do well. Sit with your success, as uncomfortable as it may feel. See your flaws proportionately— remember that flaws are the hallmark of being human.
6. Acknowledge your perfectionism. Learn to celebrate a job well done, even (and especially) if it wasn’t perfect. Stop any internal dialogue that tells you that you aren’t good enough. Treat yourself as you would treat a friend. Would you talk about your friend the way you talk about yourself?

Bottom line: You are not just the sum of your accomplishments. You are a human being who is worthy of love and respect, and you have earned your place in the world through hard work and determination.

Thankfully, imposter syndrome doesn’t need to have the last word! The number one way to stop feeling like an imposter is to stop thinking like one, and seek help if necessary.