Imposter Syndrome and How To Manage It

While it is normal to experience occasional feelings of doubt, the term ‘imposter syndrome’ is often used to describe the persistent feeling of being a sham, fake or fraud, and undeserving of any success or achievement. It’s often used to refer to work situations, where the value of intelligence or achievement may be emphasised, but it may also be applied to social contexts and relationships (“if you get to know me, I won’t be who you think I am”), or perfectionism more generally.

The internal experience of believing that you are not as competent as others might think you are, that you may be exposed as a fraud at any moment, that you do not deserve successes, or that you do not belong, is obviously quite anxiety provoking, and may affect many areas of your life.

Imposter syndrome can affect anyone, irrespective of gender, social or work status, or level of expertise. While not a diagnosable condition, imposter syndrome is a recognised psychological pattern. The feelings of inadequacy are typically characterised by negative thinking, self-doubt, and self-sabotage, and often include features such as:

·      Fear that you will not live up to others’ expectations.

·      Difficulty assessing your strengths, competence and skills objectively.

·      Criticising your performance and focusing on your perceived failures, instead of your successes. Worrying excessively over the smallest of ‘errors’.

·      Attributing your success to external factors or luck.

·      Sabotaging your own success, including by: 

o   Underselling your expertise.

o   Setting unrealistic goals.

·      Overachieving. 

·      Sensitivity to criticism, even if it is constructive.

·      Perceiving asking for help as a sign of weakness or incompetence.

If this sounds like you, it may seem unlikely that you could somehow believe that you belong and deserve to be where you are. But by recognising your patterns of thinking and behaviour, you can begin to change how you respond. You could start by trying some of the following ideas:

·      Consider whether your imposter thoughts and actions help or hinder you in how you would like to be. Acknowledge your thoughts, feelings and responses. Observe them rather than getting caught up in them.

·      Trust that feelings of being an imposter are quite normal. It has been estimated that around 70% of people experience these feelings at some stage. Reach out to someone you trust and share your feelings – it is likely they will recognise what you are talking about.

·      Stop ignoring positive feedback. Acknowledge your strengths, competencies, successes and accomplishments. It can be helpful to write down your positives, and use them to challenge the imposter thoughts.

·      Be kind to yourself. Have realistic expectations of yourself, just as you would for others. It’s ok not to be ‘perfect’, not know everything, and make mistakes. 

·      Try not to focus on your own situation and inner experience. Rather, focus on what someone else is saying to you, or notice if someone else appears alone or awkward, and reach out to them.

Remember that it is normal to have some doubts - the goal is to manage the imposter thoughts or feelings effectively, not eliminate them.