Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
As humans, occasionally feeling insecure is an inevitable fact of life. But for many high-achieving individuals these feelings can go beyond just run-of-the-mill insecurity – in these cases, it may be considered impostor syndrome.
The term ‘impostor syndrome’ was coined by Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978, described in their article “The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention”. Clance and Imes studied high-achieving women who were all experiencing the same thing: despite abundant evidence of their capability and success, they all reported feeling anxious, frustrated, and fraudulent.
45 years after the publication of Clance and Imes’ article, impostor syndrome continues to be a part of life for many people.
What is Impostor Syndrome?
In short, impostor syndrome (also called ‘imposter syndrome’ or ‘impostorism’) describes feelings of “intellectual phoniness”, of feeling like you’re not intelligent or capable, and have just fooled everyone into thinking so. Even with clear evidence – whether it’s training, awards, or an impressive resume – those with impostor syndrome may frequently have thoughts like:
“I don’t deserve the position I have.”
“I’m scared to ‘slip up’ and expose how inadequate I am.”
“They’re only complimenting me to be nice.”
“I succeed purely on luck, not because of my skill.”
“Failure would be the worst thing in the world.”
“I feel guilty accepting praise, because I don’t deserve it.”
Impostor syndrome is more common than you’d think; one poll found that 3 in 5 workers experience impostor syndrome, and KPMG found 75% of high-achieving women felt like impostors in the workplace. Despite this, the vast majority of people never openly discuss these feelings at work, which in turn can make it harder to get the support they need… and so the cycle goes on.
While impostor syndrome is very common in the workplace, it’s certainly not the only context in which it manifests. Impostor syndrome can also happen in your personal relationships, making you feel that you’ve ‘fooled’ your friends and family into liking and caring for you.
How to overcome Impostor Syndrome
The first step to overcoming impostor syndrome is recognizing it as a problem. Because impostor syndrome doesn’t have symptoms, it can be easy to dismiss it as ‘not a big deal’. But not addressing these feelings won’t make them go away; impostor syndrome needs to be faced head-on. Try to identify the situation(s) that trigger impostorism – is it team meetings at work, or social situations? Being aware that these thoughts are a product of anxiety, and not grounded in reality, will help you take the first steps to overcoming impostor syndrome.
Speaking to your friends or colleagues can help you deal with feelings of impostorism; because it’s so common, it’s more than likely that they’ve felt that way at some point in time. Talking openly about feelings of guilt, anxiety, and self-doubt can help alleviate them.
A life coach or executive coach can also help you overcome impostor syndrome. A certified coach will work through their clients’ impostor feelings to pinpoint where they’re coming from, and how they’re impacting their clients’ lives, whether that’s personal, professional, or both. Together, client and coach will work together to challenge the impostor mindset and instead encourage confidence and self-assurance.
To learn more about how coaching can help you overcome impostor syndrome, contact us to book a consultation.
