Panache

According to Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, Imposter Syndrome is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments, talents, or skills and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”, despite external evidence of competence or success.”

In layman’s language, if you sometimes get the feeling, you are not good enough. You don’t deserve the success you have. You don’t deserve the life you have. Even though you have the education and experience, if you don’t find yourself suitable for a position, you are dealing with imposter syndrome.

A few decades ago, only the female population was known to have been suffering from imposter syndrome but now men are experiencing this as well. But they show different signs to that of women.

Imposter feelings are tied to self-worth, perfectionism, and fear of judgment. They are human experiences and are not biased as per gender. The difference is how a personality chooses to deal with it.

If you also want to learn the art of combating imposter syndrome, then keep on reading. Also, let us know if you have ever felt these feelings. Did you stop because of those or keep going?

Get into the cause. (Why you don’t feel good enough?)

Imposter syndrome is not a sudden feeling. It takes its root in many ways and several factors can be responsible for it. These factors include environment, personality traits, upbringing, or personal experiences. Do not ignore the social factors as one of the reasons.

No matter the cause, you need to understand why you are feeling the way you are feeling. Is it your childhood or family dynamics, your own expectations of yourself, or societal pressure? This pressure can come from your mentor or boss as well.

You need to understand if it comes from you or from someone else. If an external factor is causing it, you can walk away and your feelings may change. But if you feel bad about yourself, you need to start working on your self-awareness.

Note down your achievements to remind yourself.

After spending some time in corporate, I realized and wished someone had told me to note down the achievements I make in my work every day. That way, I can show my management what I bring to the workplace and whether I am a valuable employee.

Later, I realized I should do the same thing: Make a list of all the times I have felt proud of my achievements and the differences I have made in my or someone else’s life.

This will not only boost my confidence. But it will keep reminding me that I matter and I can create a difference in the world. No matter how small it is. If you have not been doing it, sit with a paper and a pen, contemplate a bit, and note down all the things you have done that feel like achievement. Those are things that you can be proud of. Or things that can make you feel good about yourself.

Also Read: A step by step guide to achieving your goals.

Talk to someone honest. (for honest reflection)

At times, you are so depressed, that you can’t think of a single thing that can justify your life. In these times, you need to talk to a friend or a therapist who can give you an honest reflection of what you truly are.

A childhood friend, a family member, or a therapist who has been spending some time with you can pull you out of the rut of imposter syndrome. They can let you know the things you are capable of being and achieving.

These people won’t hype you. But let you know what you are through their eyes. Since they are your well-wishers, they would tell you the things you are already good at and things you need to work on. This will pull you out of imposter syndrome by being realistic.

Also Read: How to journal honestly?

Be reasonable about your achievements.

We either tend to overestimate ourselves or severely underestimate ourselves. And this becomes a breeding ground for imposter syndrome. The only middle ground is to be logical about our achievements.

 You may not remember your achievements now but there are times you remember it and feel good about doing it. But don’t just stop there. Make sure you acknowledge your participation in it.

You must admit that your blood, sweat, and tears went into that job and that is why you have been able to achieve that. You don’t need to exaggerate it. But be true to yourself. This will beat your imposter syndrome and next time you will be mindful about all the things you are capable of.

Accept things as your learning phase.

When you are thinking of your positives, your mind will remind you of your negatives as well. Your mind will try to overpower the negatives over the positives. And in that moment, you may feel like a failure or not good enough.

But you don’t stop there. Tell yourself, the lessons you learned from your last failure. Remind yourself that the negatives you are reminded of were just a phase and you overcame it one way or the other. Therefore, you are more than capable of doing something significant in the future.

You need to accept every failure as a part of life and its learning phase. This way, these failures won’t have enough power over you and no matter what happens you will learn and move on. This will give you the courage to pursue whatever you want.

Also Read: How to learn to let go?

Remind yourself: Perfection is an illusion.

Imposter syndrome is mostly known among people who seek perfection. They will only pursue something when they are perfect at it. They will only attain that position or reach a point when they are perfect. And this phenomenon is more common than you know.

In these moments, remind yourself that perfection is an illusion. In a world, that has been changing at a rapid speed, perfection will always be steps away. In this world, irrespective of the industry, more will be added every now and again, you may never reach it if you seek perfection.

So, the best step is to take a step now and challenge yourself. Perfection may never be achieved. But you can test yourself and your capabilities every day.

The idea of achieving perfection may arise from fear of judgment, quest to prove themselves, or guilt. Make sure you find the real reason, and step away from the illusion of perfection. This will bring you closer to achieving what you have always dreamed of.

Use affirmations.

One of the best ways to win over imposter syndrome is to keep moving forward in your path and use affirmations to keep your self-esteem intact. If you have followed the steps above, you will understand the root cause of imposter syndrome.

In that case, you just need to remind yourself what Pooh told Christopher, “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Remind yourself there is more to you that’s yet to be discovered so keep on fighting.

Don’t compare your journey.

As they rightly say “Comparison is the thief of joy.” A lot of times, imposter syndrome is the result of what other people have achieved as compared to what you have achieved. Do not compare your journey to anyone else’s.

Especially in the world of social media where someone’s achievements are summarised in a short-form video, a post, a blog, or an image. You need to understand there is always more to the story. As there is more to your story than what people know of you.

If comparison is what is sprouting imposter syndrome in you, you need to immediately stop comparing and focus on your life. Concentrate on the problem-solving in your life, your ups and downs, and how you can overcome every challenge.

Understand yourself.

One of the best ways to beat imposter syndrome is to know yourself inside out. Know what defines you, what you are made of, and what are your strengths and weaknesses. This will not only give you clarity in life but will make sure you do not get distracted from your path.

Understanding yourself brings a sort of enlightenment with it. This will stop you from doubting your capabilities and thus save you from imposter syndrome.

Knowing yourself will save you from any manipulation, and societal pressure, and assist you with setting up the right expectations for yourself.

Also Read: 8 things to know about yourself.

Stay true to yourself.

Another virtue that will be your superpower is staying true to yourself. That is only possible when you know yourself well. You are not living for someone else. You do not do it for others. Instead, you do it for your own satisfaction or delight.

Therefore, you don’t need someone else’s approval. You do not cater to anyone’s ego or seek validation. It will save you from any guilt in life. Instead, you will be proud of yourself for doing it.

Conclusion.

In this competitive and ever-changing world, you are destined to face imposter syndrome in one way or the other at some point in your life. But that should not weigh your wings. Instead, it must boost you towards trying to prove yourself for yourself.

Imposter Syndrome is what ruins your peace. Find solace in doing good work and you will eventually reach what you have always dreamed of.

Also Read: How to become the best version of yourself?

Also Read: How to live for yourself?