How to Overcome the Impostor Syndrome and Excessive Self-Doubt
A lot more people experience the impostor syndrome than admit to experiencing it. That’s because the impostor syndrome concerns feelings of inadequacy. It’s a set of self-sabotaging feelings that leads people to discount their skills and competencies. People with this syndrome believe they’re frauds and fear that others will discover their inadequacies.
These people might have a nagging fear that everyone knows more than they do; they’re all phonies and sooner or later, they’ll be found out.
These feelings persist even in face of information that proves the opposite is true. Has this ever happened to you?
People who experience the impostor syndrome are convinced they don’t deserve the success they’ve achieved and anyone who thinks otherwise is misguided. They may attribute their success to luck or other reasons separate from their skills and abilities. They may discount their successes and have a hard time accepting compliments.
Interestingly, the impostor syndrome occurs most often among highly successful professionals. They suffer from deep self-doubt, and each new achievement, rather than bolstering their confidence, only serves to intensify their persistent fear of being found out.
The syndrome also occurs among people with expertise who are just starting to gain experience in sharing that expertise. Early in my speaking career, I was mortified when audience members took notes during my presentations. How could they possibly think I had anything worthwhile to say? Impostor syndrome? Guilty as charged.
Sadly, some people never achieve success because the impostor syndrome prevents them from achieving their goals.
Here’s a test created by a clinical psychologist that can help you determine if you’re afflicted with the impostor syndrome. To ensure your objectivity, it’s recommended that you don’t view the scoring instructions at the end of the test until you’ve completed the test.
Fortunately, uncomfortable though the impostor syndrome may be, it’s completely normal and extremely common. To banish it, distinguish between feelings and fact. Everyone feels stupid or incompetent at times. Recognize that self-doubt, particularly when you’re trying something new, is a normal response; it doesn’t mean you’re a fake. Recognize also that falling short is merely an opportunity to learn from the experience and do better next time around.
Even if you overcome the syndrome, feelings of self-doubt may resurface as your career progresses. Whenever you feel like an impostor, write out what you're feeling. Use a journal to capture what annoys or scares you about your situation. And make a list of your accomplishments all year long. Whenever feelings of self-doubt overcome you, use the list as a reminder of all you’ve done. Then give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.
What other advice would you offer someone who experiences the impostor syndrome?
