Struggle with Self-Doubt?
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 - Joe Kiedinger
Do you ever feel like most of the people in the room are more qualified than you? Are you hard on yourself after making minor mistakes? Do you find it difficult to accept praise from others?
Then you may have Imposter Syndrome.
What is It, Exactly?
Imposter Syndrome is a perceived lack of competency despite success. It’s a psychological phenomenon, rather than a mental condition, when one doubts their skills and achievements even though they have a stellar track record of accomplishments.
If You Don’t Take Action
If unchecked, Imposter Syndrome can have a dramatic, negative effect on your life—impacting your work and personal relationships. It can put a damper on your thought processes and affect your entire worldview. Imposter Syndrome can be a very powerful detractor and roadblock to general wellbeing in one’s career and life as a whole.
How to Get After It
Before Imposter Syndrome has a chance to take over, it’s time to take action and loosen its grip.
- Understand that nobody is perfect, so you should not expect yourself to be
- Recognize your expertise and skills
- Take the time to reflect on victories and what you do well
- Pay attention to and filter out negative thoughts
- Reframe the way you think about your achievements, acknowledge them and the work that went into them
- Talk with a mentor or life coach
- Speak to a therapist
- Find supportive environments and communities
Most importantly, know that you’re not alone. Imposter Syndrome is actually incredibly common. According to the Journal of General Internal Medicine: up to 82% of people face feelings of Imposter Syndrome from time to time. The question is, will you be one of the few who gets after it?
JOE KIEDINGER
ACTION PLAN: Discover the five main types of Imposter Syndrome in our latest podcast!