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If we are being honest, many of us have experienced impostor syndrome (IM) at some point in our lives. We may not be willing to admit it, but there are times when we question our accomplishments and wonder whether we are qualified to be where we are.
If i'm the only one who's felt that from time to time, let me know in the comments section.
However, if you are like me and you have felt that before then its likely that you've experienced impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome is an internal belief that you may not be as competent as others perceive you to be. It is characterised by feeling that people will find out you are a 'fraud' despite evidence to the contrary (this may be certifications, licences or years of experience). Additionally, it is characterised by feeling like you don't belong where you are and that you got there by luck. This feeling can drive one to achieve (in order to make sure no one finds out they are an 'impostor'). The only challenge is that the goal post constantly keeps shifting and nothing is ever good enough.
With that being said, you might be asking yourself what leads to such a syndrome. Individuals may develop IM due to:
i). Family upbringing. Here, individuals who grew up with with parents who constantly compared them to others may have developed this concept as they sought to meet their parents' expectations. This often leads to individuals only paying attention to their flaws and disregarding their accomplishments. If this is you, it's okay to acknowledge that. The beginning of your story may not have been the way you wanted it to be but you do have the power to change your story moving forward.
One of the main ways to do this is to practice self-validation. You need to be able to acknowledge your own wins and pat yourself on the back. Every time you think of a personal flaw/something you need to improve on, remind yourself that those flaws do not take away from the hardwork and effort you put in. Yes, it's good to recognise where you need to improve but it's also equally important to remind yourself of all the steps you are making and of the successes no matter how small they seem.
ii). New work/school opportunities also contribute to feelings of imposter syndrome. When we enter a new role there may be pre-existing expectations of how we should perform. This can lead to increased internal pressure to succeed despite lack of experience in that environment. This may trigger feelings of inadequacy. When I first started out as a psychologist, I worked with an experienced American psychologist (I like to call her one of my mentors). In one of our first group sessions, we were supposed to introduce ourselves together with our certifications. Now in America, the practice of psychology is a little further ahead, so everyone was introducing themselves with 10 years plus of experience and initials like LCP (Licenced Counselling Psychologist) and LMHC (Licenced Mental Health Counselor) among others. In contrast, there I was fresh out of college (the only Kenyan by the way), and I remember thinking 'am I supposed to be here?' Over the course of the introductions, one lady (lady X) also expressed doubt (because she was still in school and did not have the same accolades as the rest).
The response my mentor gave to her was very profound. She reminded lady X that she had gained knowledge and skills that most people do not have when it comes to the study of the mind and human behaviour.
Now at the time, this response was not intended for me but I related to it. How many times do we sit back and disregard some of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the years because we are seated in the presence of those who are ahead of us? Wouldn't we as individuals and as youth be one step closer to achieving our dreams if we owned the knowledge and skills we have gained over the years and positioned ourselves as experts in our respective fields? I'll tell you what my mentor told us that day ' you have the knwoledge and skills to make it in your field, you just have to own them and own where you are on your journey.' Also, if I can add my own twist, don't let other people's years of experience intimidate you. Yes, there is something you can learn from seasoned professionals but that doesnt mean you don't have something to bring to the table as well.
iii). Personality. Yes, you heard me right. Certain personality traits can put you at a higher risk of experiencing this syndrome. One of the main personality traits associated with this is perfectionism. I know a lot of people who are self proclaimed perfectionists, you might even be one of them. With perfectionism comes the feeling that one is not allowed to do or say anything wrong. Perfectionists often have very high (often unattainable) self standards and may never feel satisfied by the quality of their work (they always feel it can be better).
While some of you might be thinking 'this doesn't sound so bad', it can have negative effects because these individuals often have high anxiety levels. The realisation that nothing can ever be 100% perfect can help release us from the idea that we are expected to be flawless. The truth is everyone has flaws, everyone has a good side and a bad side. However, life is about being able to acknowledge the good while working to improve the bad. That is the duality of life.
I cannot conclude personality without focusing on a select group of people called the 'natural genius'. These are people who have an intense need to succeed at everything on their first try. They believe competence is based on the ease and speed of mastering a certain skill. This is common amongst people who are used to excelling without much effort. While mastering skills is something to be admired, the truth is, not everything will come easy for you. There is growth is stepping outside of our comfort zones and trying something that is challenging to us. You may have heard the quote "do that which scares you the most". This is because what scares us often provides great potential for us to grow, sometimes beyond what we even imagined. So if this is you, remember to extend some compassion towards yourself and keep going. Simply because it's difficult for you does not mean you do not have the ability to overcome it!
iv) Gender bias. Originally, impostor syndrome was perceived to mainly affect women who worked in male dominated professions. While I cannot speak for any of these women (because my profession is not primarily male dominated), I believe there is often an internal pressure to almost be perfect in order to be taken seriously.
Whether we are aware of it or not, there are societal biases (about certain professions) that can push us both as men and women to work harder and disprove stereotypes. Being able to acknowledge these biases helps us understand why we are sometimes compelled to overlook our achievements. This is not to say that the world is not changing and evolving. It is and we can acknowledge that. However, we can also acknowlegde that change happens gradually. In the mean time, we have the duty to be kind to ourselves and to re-structure our perceptions. How much more fulfilling would life be if we learned how to extend the same grace we have towards others to ourselves?
In summary, impostor syndrome can affect a variety of individuals across different industries. With that being said, we have a duty to ourselves to challenge some of our negative self-talk and remind ourselves that we have the knowledge and skills necessary to make it in our respective fields. This process of challenging our thoughts is gradual and may take time. It helps to have a good support system of friends and family who can help remind you of your awesomeness when you doubt it. So in case you have not heard it today ... 'you are doing a great job and you are exactly where you need to be in this moment.'
Well, that's it for today. Feel free to keep the conversation going in the comments section below. If you have had an experience with IM let us know how you overcame it or how you are working towards overcoming it. Also, if you know someone who would benefit from reading this, share it. You never know where someone is in their journey. Remember to follow me on my social media platforms to send in your questions. If you haven't already, make sure to check out some of my previous posts. Have a lovely week and remember to stay intentional!
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