Friday, May 31, 2019

Unmasking Impostor Syndrome

Do you feel like an impostor? You aren't alone

Do you strive for excellence but always feel you’re falling far short of your goal? Do you often feel like you don’t measure up? Do you worry that your friends or colleagues are going to discover that you’re a fraud, that you don’t truly deserve your job and accomplishments?

If so, you’ve got plenty of company. These feelings are known as impostor syndrome, and an estimated 70 percent of people experience them at some point in their lives, according to the International Journal of Behavioral Science. Fortunately, it’s a problem that can be overcome, and there are even some positives that can come from feeling impostor syndrome.

What is Impostor Syndrome?

The idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck—not due to your talent, hard work, or qualifications
First identified by psychologists in 1978
Applies to anyone who isn’t able to internalize and own their successes

5 Personality Types Affected

Perfectionists – Any small mistake makes them question their own competence.
Experts – They need to know every piece of information and are hesitant to ask questions because they’re afraid of looking stupid.
Geniuses – When they struggle to accomplish something, their brain tells them that’s proof they’re an impostor.
Soloists – If they need to ask for help, they think that means they are a fraud.
Supermen/women – They push themselves to work harder than those around them to prove that they’re not impostors.

6 Causes of Impostor Syndrome

3 Childhood Causes

Feeling that your grades were never good enough
Feeling that your siblings outshone you
Feeling that you weren’t living up to your parents’ expectations

3 Outsider Causes

Feeling that you don’t belong
Feeling discriminated against because of racial, ethnic, gender, or other stereotypes
Feeling that you look and sound differently from others in your group

6 Ways to Deal with Impostor Syndrome

Acknowledge your thoughts. Observe them but don’t engage them. Put them in perspective.
Reframe your thoughts. There is no difference in competence or intelligence between those who feel impostor syndrome and those who don’t.
Learn to value constructive criticism. Making a mistake or failing at something doesn’t mean you are an impostor.
Ask for help. If you don’t, you are probably slowing your team down.
Share your feelings with trusted friends or mentors. They can reassure you that what you’re feeling is normal and not scary.
Don’t let doubts control you. Everyone experiences doubt about themselves sometimes—don’t let it take over your actions.

4 Ways Impostor Syndrome Helps You

It proves you’re challenging yourself.
It keeps your ego in check.
It signals that you’re gaining experience.
It signals that you’re becoming better at what you do.

Do You have Impostor Syndrome?

Take the New York Magazine Quiz

For each of the nine questions, assign a score of 1 to 5 (1 = not at all true, 3 = sometimes true, 5 = very true).

1. I’m afraid people important to me may find out that I’m not as capable as they think I am.

2. It’s hard for me to accept compliments or praise about my intelligence or accomplishments.

3. At times, I feel my success has been due to some kind of luck.

4. I often compare my ability to those around me and think they may be more intelligent than I am.

5. I sometimes think I obtained my present position or gained my present success because I happened to be in the right place at the right time or knew the right people.

6. If I receive a great deal of praise and recognition for something I’ve accomplished, I tend to discount the importance of what I’ve done.

7. I tend to remember the incidents in which I have not done my best more than those times I have done my best.

8. If I’m going to receive a promotion or gain recognition of some kind, I hesitate to tell others until it is an accomplished fact.

9. Sometimes, I feel or believe that my success in my life or in my job has been the result of some kind of error.

Under 25, low impostor syndrome – You don’t really worry about the idea of people discovering you’re a fraud, and you feel like you’ve earned your successes.

25-40, moderate impostor syndrome – Sometimes, you worry that whatever success you have enjoyed was simply the result of being in the right place at the right time, or that people will discover you’re a fraud.

Above 40, high impostor syndrome – You frequently worry that whatever success you have enjoyed was simply the result of being in the right place at the right time, or that people will discover you’re a fraud.

Sources: Time, Forbes, nymag.com