Have you ever had that feeling that you’re just faking it and don’t actually know what you’re doing?
What about feeling like you’re about to be fired any moment because your work will find out you’re a “fraud?”
Chances are, most of us have felt this way in one way or another throughout our lives, and this wonderfully awful feeling is called Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome is a psychological distortion that prevents a person from internalizing any sense of accomplishment.
While it may feel like you’re completely alone in these feelings, it’s actually quite common! On average, over 70% of professionals admit to suffering from Imposter Syndrome at one point or another. So let’s delve into how we can start to accept and change those feelings of failure with methods we’ve put to the test ourselves.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
In a nutshell, Imposter Syndrome is the false belief that your accomplishments haven’t been earned by you.
While this is common—and, to some degree, normal—some of us worry in ways that are illogical. We worry about not being good enough when we have evidence to the contrary. We irrationally ignore that evidence and continue thinking we've only come this far due to dumb luck.
Imposter Syndrome was first studied in 1978 by Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Dr. Suzanne A. Imes when they released a study called The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention.
In their study, almost all 150 women believed that, despite the consistent evidence of external validation, their success was a result of luck, and that others were simply overestimating their intelligence and abilities.
While Imposter Syndrome is not strictly limited to only women, there is a much higher chance of suffering from this extreme form of self-doubt if you do identify as one.
Now that we know a little bit more about the history of Imposter Syndrome and that it’s somewhat common, let’s get into how you can beat it.
Learn to Separate Feelings From Facts
As we’ve learned, Imposter Syndrome is the feeling that you are a failure, but it’s not necessarily a fact.
Our first tip in learning how to fight Imposter Syndrome is to separate those feelings of failure and worry with concrete facts about your skills and achievements.
While we know it can sometimes be difficult to accept praise for your accomplishments when you feel like you didn't deserve it, what you need to remember is that you’re receiving praise for a reason.
Let Go of Perfectionism
We’ve all striven to be perfect at some point in time when it comes to our careers, but the problem with that is that perfection doesn’t exist.
Nothing in this life is perfect.
Well, except maybe blueberry pancakes on a Saturday morning.
But pancakes aside, the idea of being “perfect” or performing “perfectly” is automatically setting yourself up for failure. Learning how to obtain a “growth mindset” can be an excellent way to let go of being perfect and accept that we all learn and grow.
It’s ok if things don’t go to plan because you learn to value the learning process, not just the outcome.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
We’re all guilty of it, especially in this day-and-age of social media where you’re constantly one click away from seeing how everyone else in the world is doing that day.
According to a recent study, more than 75% of people reported feeling envious of someone recently. Instead of pushing you to work harder, it just takes away valuable time and energy that could have been spent on being successful in your own life.
Here are 3 ways we recommend you try when learning how to stop comparing yourself to others…
Track Your Successes
When feeling like a fraud, one of the hardest things you can do is focus on your achievements. You might be wired to automatically default them to dumb luck, when in fact, it’s due to your hard work, skills, and knowledge had a lot to do with it.
A recent Kajabi study found that 86% of entrepreneurs share their accomplishments with others at least some of the time!
While it may seem like a daunting task, sharing your successes with your friends and family may help you see that those accomplishments are a big deal. The encouragement they can give you may drastically help that mental blockage of “I don’t deserve this.”
Speak to a Professional
If you’re unable to get past these feelings by yourself, there’s nothing wrong with seeking the help of a professional.
Fears of failure can prompt plenty of emotional distress, and many people coping with imposter feelings also experience anxiety and depression. This can lead to self-doubt, diminished self-confidence, and worries about how others perceive you.
When you don’t acknowledge and try to fix these issues of self-doubt and self-sabotage, Imposter syndrome can worsen mental health symptoms, creating a cycle that’s difficult to escape.
Before you start to get into that neverending cycle of “I’m not good enough,” we suggest reaching out to a Therapist who can help you get to the bottom of why you feel this way, and give you ways to cope and overcome them!
What Tips Are You Going to Try?
When it comes to learning how to fight Imposter Syndrome, it may take a combination of a few of these suggestions.
Whatever you try, remember that you are worthy of your accomplishments and the goals you have met. Good things happen to you because you worked hard for them, so enjoy those achievements!
Kellyann Doyle is a Content Marketing Writer at Zoek, an SEO, Web Design, and Digital Marketing Agency that assists small and medium-sized businesses with their online footprint. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in 2013 from the University of Houston with a Major in Communications and a Minor in Marketing and has been working in the Digital Marketing world ever since. When not working, you can find Kellyann trying new recipes, enjoying a good nap, or watching Friends for the 500th time.