Imposter Alert! How to Battle Imposter Syndrome and Own Your Value

Photo via The New York Times

Have you ever felt like your accomplishments were unearned? Have you ever felt out of place with your job and that you don’t belong? Have you ever felt like a fraud living someone else’s life? 

You are not alone, according to psychologists in the  International Journal of Behavioral Science, 70% of people experience what is known as the “Imposter Syndrome.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, imposter syndrome is defined as a psychological pattern in which a person possesses “the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.”

How It Impacts Your Work

This is a big issue when it comes to your performance as a leader, and could hinder your ability to confidently progress in whatever field you are involved in. The perceived notion that your successes are only the result of luck, could be a catalyst that leads you to feel stagnant with your goals and dreams. This also affects your ability to lead as well, causing you to fear the opinions of your colleagues and places a stigma in your thought process that you will be labeled as a fraud.

Imposter Syndrome can leave you feeling like all your work is not enough.

Personally in my life, I find that this imposter psychology is prevalent as well.

Whenever I reached a new plateau whether it be in my career, education, or social media, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with thoughts that “I don’t belong here” or that my accomplishments are undeserving. An example of this is when I accomplished my goal of getting accepted into my dream school at the University of Michigan. I felt like everyone around me was smarter than me, and even though I had just graduated high school as a summa cum laude, my classmates’’s high GPA’s, SAT scores, and scholarships only proceeded to make me feel like I was just lucky to be there. Even when I found my strengths in social media, I sometimes question if I was worthy of the following I have on those platforms. Also being the only one of my friend group to land an internship job amidst a global pandemic, admittedly makes me feel like it was due to luck at times. 

Ultimately, this kind of mentality caused me to feel unconfident, leading me to suffer in my academic performance as well as change my image on social media into something that wasn’t me. Over time, as I learned to be more confident in myself and my abilities, I was able to produce content that is engaging and uniquely plays to my strengths. 

Upon researching the different types of people affected by imposter syndrome, I found that there were certain personality traits or work habits that helped contribute to a predisposition of feeling unworthy.

What It Looks Like

Time Magazine states that these types of workers experience imposter syndrome: 

Perfectionists set extremely high expectations for themselves, and even if they meet 99% of their goals, they’re going to feel like failures. Any small mistake will make them question their own competence.

Experts feel the need to know every piece of information before they start a project and constantly look for new certifications or trainings to improve their skills. They won’t apply for a job if they don’t meet all the criteria in the posting, and they might be hesitant to ask a question in class or speak up in a meeting at work because they’re afraid of looking stupid if they don’t already know the answer.

When the Natural Genius has to struggle or work hard to accomplish something, he or she thinks this means they aren’t good enough. They are used to skills coming easily, and when they have to put in effort, their brain tells them that’s proof they’re an impostor.

Soloists feel they have to accomplish tasks on their own, and if they need to ask for help, they think that means they are a failure or a fraud.

Supermen or Superwomen push themselves to work harder than those around them to prove that they’re not impostors. They feel the need to succeed in all aspects of life—at work, as parents, as partners—and may feel stressed when they are not accomplishing

How To Deal With It  

Firstly, acknowledge that your feelings are valid, and recognize that they exist. But do not let it overshadow everything you have accomplished for yourself. Reframe your thoughts to be more positive and think of the hours you spent in order to get to where you are. The only difference between someone who experiences imposter syndrome and someone who does not is in the way they deal with challenges.

Remind yourself that competency is not a reflection of what others think of you, but rather a metric that is intrinsic and comes from yourself. Learn to value constructive criticism and understanding that refraining from asking for help could actually slow your team down more. It is a mental battle that most people face, but ultimately win. Always remember that you earned your success and that you matter.

You can learn more about how to handle Imposter syndrome, along with how to be a more effective leader at SCP's Culture for Change Conference this September! Tickers are now on sale.