Do you ever get that constant feeling of not belonging and not being capable of the job at hand? The fear that everyone around you will clock on that you are not competent? This is a universal feeling that most people struggle with, and yet, we internalize it and think we are the problem.
Imposter syndrome is a pattern of thinking that leads one to feel unworthy, useless, and unable to achieve success due to negative self-talk. The most common feeling is that you are a fraudster in your own body; you almost feel like you are lying to everyone about being smart yet thinking they can see straight through you and realize you are not.
Most of the time, people who are high achievers and perfectionists feel like this as imposter syndrome comes out to play primarily at work. People who struggle with this mindset think they must overwork themselves to be seen as ‘good’ or even feel unworthy of credit and praise.
I feel the reason why majority of us hesitate to make steps towards our goals, is because we have a sense of imposter syndrome. We feel, ‘who are we really, to think we can achieve this?’ It’s scary, but if we don’t silence that voice of fear, we’d never reach our potential.
— Fehintola da-Silva (@FehinSilva) September 8, 2022
Despite trying to achieve the highest standards, imposter syndrome also disables you from pursuing your own goals, which causes a paradoxical struggle.
People who struggle with this mindset doubt their abilities and sabotage their success. Instead of trying to succeed in attainable goals, they automatically feel like they are not good enough and never try.
This makes one stay in a constant loop of self-doubt and procrastination as instead of putting ideas into action, imposter syndrome makes you doubt your capability until you have convinced yourself you are not worth it.
How to overcome Imposter Syndrome, you may ask?
The first thing to remember is that you are not the only one. Realize that everyone around you probably feels the same way. The people you are worried about getting judged by are probably scared of you judging them too.
Acknowledge your accomplishments.
I think we forget how much we have achieved and how far we have come. We tend to focus on what we haven’t done, so appreciating your journey and making a mental note of everything you have attained is one way to help with imposter syndrome. However, being aware that your goals were attained because you are good enough and not because of ‘luck’ is the key to really acknowledging your goals.
Be confident
This sounds clique and unhelpful but being confident and knowing you are good at something goes a long way. Even if you may not feel it, sometimes faking confidence is the way actually to be confident. When people see you as a confident person, it’s hard to knock you down.
It’s okay to fail
Realize that failing is actually okay; it’s a part of the human experience and how we are made. Failing does not define you, nor does it define your future experiences. It is not normal to be perfect at all times.
