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Have you ever heard the term Impostor Syndrome before? Have you experienced it and hadn’t noticed it? It’s something that we’ve all experienced during life’s situations, and for some, it can be crippling.
I only learned of this term a few months ago after attending a live webinar. Before that, I never knew what it was. But looking back on past situations, I knew that I had experienced it before. And I’m quite sure a lot of you have as well.
What is Imposter Syndrome
According to VeryWell Mind, Imposter or Impostor syndrome is when someone internally experiences the belief that they’re not as competent as others perceive them to be. Impostor syndrome can occur at any moment, and it can pertain to any situation.
For example, believing that you’re not as skilled as someone in the same work field as you are. Despite having the knowledge or skillset as that person, you still feel as though your knowledge isn’t as strong, even though others can tell you quite the opposite.
It doesn’t just happen in the workforce. Impostor syndrome can pop up in social situations as well. One example could be having a conversation where you may feel that you know a lot about the topic but are afraid to express it out loud due to instant fear based on inner questioning of how much you really know.
It’s the idea that you aren’t “good enough” at something and the fear of failure. And in some cases, you may feel like a “fraud” despite what others may say. It is that inability to see within yourself how capable you really are.
Click on the Healthline link here if you’d like to read more about different types of impostor syndrome.
How do you know you’re experiencing it
While there’s no single diagnose of what brings on impostor syndrome, there are some signs you may be experiencing it. And these signs can be triggered by different experiences in life such as the workforce, social settings, academics, family life, and more.
As I’m writing this post, I’m experiencing my own impostor syndrome. A few months ago, I left my job due to work conditions. And now, I’m currently working on going down a different path, one that I know I’m well capable of doing because I put in the time to learn and self-train to do social media and graphic design for others.
However, with all the knowledge I’ve picked up, I feel I’m nowhere near as good as those already in the field. Even though I have a degree in design, I had always felt I was never good enough when it came to designing for others. And so that same feeling is now present as I try to combine that skill with being a social media strategist, as an add-on service.
I’ve watched the videos, read the blog post, asked questions, and attended live webinars and classes. And I’ve gotten the basic ideas of how it works. Yet, I still have millions of inner questions challenging my abilities with the knowledge I’ve gained.
It’s that small hint of self-doubt that can bring on a river of not believing in yourself the way others see you.
Here are 8 signs to indicate you’re experiencing impostor syndrome
- Feeling of self doubt
- Fear of not living up to the expectations or hype
- Overachieving /Underachieving on purpose
- Sabotaging your abilities to perform
- Comparing your abilities to others
- Incapable of realistically seeing your skills and assess as others do
- Setting unrealistic goals for yourself
- Giving up when it doesn’t turn out the way you envisioned
It’s often that feeling of not being “good enough” that can sabotage us from seeing our true abilities. As bizarre as it may sound, those around us who see our abilities for what they are maybe right. However, our mental state of mind knows how to play tricks on us and block us from seeing what we see.
Ways to overcome impostor syndrome
Just like most things, overcoming impostor syndrome can be done. It takes time and dedication to train your mind that you are more than capable of showing off your abilities. I mean, that’s what we tried so hard to learn them for, right? With a few steps, you can bid those pesky thoughts away.
7 Tips on how to overcome impostor syndrome
- Nothing says progress like taking baby steps Taking on more than you can handle could end up taking a bigger toll on your mental health than before. That’s why starting off small builds up the confidence in your abilities. If you find yourself stuck in the thick of impostor syndrome, start off with a reasonable goal. Something that can be achieved and provide a small reward for doing so. An example could be offer assistance on a small task at work, something you know you can achieve.
- Don’t compare yours to others’ skills and abilities This can be a hold one to practice because we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. But as we know, everyone has their own path. So what may work for someone else, may not work for you. Instead of comparing yourself to someone else, try learning bits and pieces from their skills and abilities and alter them to fit your needs.
- Take a break from others’ success stories As we know social media can be overwhelming. Seeing and reading other people’s achievements can leave you wondering why that isn’t you. Sometimes, its better to limit, take a break and block those moments out. Leaving social media for an extended period of time or limiting your interactions with those you deem successful around you could help you focus better on yourself. That way when you return to your circles, you too will have something to share and limit that “not good enough” feeling.
- Create a pros and cons of your thoughts This is more along the lines of cognitive therapy but it does help many. Try creating a list of pros and cons based on your negative thoughts. For every negative thought, match it with a positive outcome. Sometimes seeing a visual of your thoughts before you, can start to change your thinking pattern. You begin to realize that those thoughts are based more on the fear of failing than actual reality.
- Assess the positive feedback you’ve received from others We tend to always focus on that one negative feedback that we overlook the twenty positive ones. Something that helped me was thinking about the positive feedback that I received from others and see what they all have in common. And I used that to pinpoint my abilities.
- Focus on your skills and abilities There’s always room for improvement even for the best. While on your break from others’ successes focus on building your skills and abilities. Practice by brushing up on something you already know to become more confident. Also, try learning something new as well. Part of impostor syndrome is believing that you’re not competent at things. However, the reality is you really are and focusing on your abilities more will help debunk that believe.
- Share concerns and feelings with others Sometimes opening up to others about how you’re feeling can take the pressure off of holding it inside. Talking to a trusted person in your life, someone who can listen and guide you, can help you figure these thoughts out.
Conclusion
If you look at impostor syndrome as what it truly is, an impostor, then you’ll begin to see that your skills and abilities as a person are more present than you think. We tend to stand in our way a lot of the time because of fear. And fear lives strongly in this. But with a few baby steps and a push, you can conquer impostor syndrome and feel the best.
Share some of your impostor syndrome stories down in the comments below. Do you spell it, Impostor or Imposter? And don’t forget to me on Instagram @thesilenttorch for weekly affirmations, updates, and positive words.
Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive. And NOTHING’s impossible!
Lovely post! 👍🏽
Thank you so much, Maria. And thank you for taking the time to read it 🙂