How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome? 9 Ways To Stop Doubting Yourself And Start Thriving

 / 

,

Dealing with imposter syndrome is not easy, especially when you have worked hard for something, and you finally achieve it, all you feel is like a fraud. Letโ€™s find out how to overcome imposter syndrome and the best ways of dealing with imposter syndrome.ย 

KEY POINTS

  • Nearly two-thirds of the workforce experiences imposter syndrome at some point.
  • There are steps you can take to overcome imposter syndrome.
  • The committee did not make a mistake and it was not luck; you earned this accolade.

Congratulations! You are selected asโ€ฆ. This is a prestigious honorโ€ฆ.Less than three percent of those who apply get accepted. You should be thrilled, but you break out in a cold sweat.

You just got promoted. You had your eye on this role for a long time but knew the odds were against you. Eventually, you were selected and advanced to the new position. You want to run into hiding.

Whatโ€™s going on?

What you feel is imposter syndrome (or phenomenon, depending on who you ask). The term, first coined over 40 years ago by psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes, was originally shown to disproportionately affect high achievers and marginalized groups such as women and underrepresented minorities.

Related:ย 7 Imposter Syndrome Myths You Should Know About

Later reports underscored that imposter syndrome is common in the workforce.

Logically, you understand that this suffocating feeling is imposter syndrome and a common reaction, but your body is telling you a different story.

Youโ€™re a fake; youโ€™ll have to give it back; this isnโ€™t real; it was luck, not your hard work or talent. These are all stories we convince ourselves of rather than dealing with the reality.

When imposter syndrome descends, here are some tips to mitigate those feelings and take back control.

9 Ways To Overcome Imposter Syndrome

1. Create a brag box or folder

The contents of this will be photos of achievements, thank you notes, and assets that prove your accomplishments.

2. Surround yourself with the right people

Surround yourself with a team of mentors who can give you perspective and shut down the noise inside your head.

Overcome imposter syndrome

3. Share it

As imposter syndrome is prevalent, affecting two-thirds of the workforce at some point, there is a good chance that if you share your fear, your conversation partner will relate and empathize, as theyโ€™ve been in your shoes.

Before long, you will notice that you know more people who have experienced imposter syndrome than not. The shared experience will help you put your latest episode of imposter syndrome into perspective.

4. Write it down

Often, we donโ€™t give ourselves enough credit. We think we are not accomplishing much when in reality we complete more than we realize.

Make a list of everything you have accomplished, and you will notice that you were selling yourself short.

Related:ย Why Successful, Confident People Still Feel Inferior Or Incapable

5. Stop comparing yourself

Everyone is on a different journey with different constraints and cognitive loads. Therefore, stop comparing yourself to other peopleโ€™s achievements. In the words of Marshall Goldsmith, the #1 executive coach, โ€œDonโ€™t be busy chasing what other people have.โ€

6. Stop striving for perfection

Perfection is a moving target. You will never achieve it, as there is always more to do. Instead of always striving for an A+, be satisfied with an A. Itโ€™s better than what most people achieve.

7. Develop a circle of amplifiers

Sometimes we donโ€™t recognize our achievements. Curate a circle of friends or colleagues who will amplify your work so that you donโ€™t need to. Do the same for them.

8. Visualize success

Often, we work hard toward a goal but fail to recognize when it is achieved. To combat this, identify and visualize what success will look like when it is achieved.

9. Work in draft mode

Trying to be a one-take-wonder is setting yourself up for failure. Work in draft mode with the understanding that your paper or project can be refined.

A committee of people looked through your file, past accomplishments, and future potential. They compared you to other qualified applicants and decided to award you the prize or promotion. Are you saying that their efforts are misinformed or misguided? Are you calling them fools?

Related:ย How To Defeat Imposter Syndrome and Bring Success Into Your Life

Our minds are adept at playing tricks on us. The success is new so we donโ€™t know whether to be excited or fearful. Consider reframing imposter syndrome as a marker of success rather than a trigger for anxiety.

Take control of the situation, and work diligently to control what you can control. By doing so, you will be in the driverโ€™s seat, looking at imposter syndrome through the rear-view mirror.

Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and assistant professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor. She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters.ย 


Written Byย Ruth Gotian Ed.D., M.S.
Originally Appeared On Psychology Today
imposter syndrome

— Share —

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Things People Learn Too Late In Life: 7 Eye-Opening Life Lessons

Things People Learn Too Late in Life Eye Opening Life Lessons

Life is full of unexpected events and sometimes there are things people learn too late. Though some lessons come with age and experience, as time goes by, we often wish we had known some important truths sooner.

These moments of truth can be very shocking as well as transformative, they help us live authentically, appreciate what truly matters, and make the most of our time. Below are seven crucial life lessons people learn too late and can still change the way they approach life.

7 Things People Learn Too Late In

Up Next

Anger and Emotions: What’s Really Setting Us Off?

Anger and Emotion Whats Really Setting Us Off

Ever wonder whatโ€™s really fueling your anger and emotions? Discover how a mindful approach can help you regain inner peace in your life!

Taking a mindful approach to exploring why we are angry.

Key points

Anger is a secondary emotion.

Anger is a warning sign that lets us know there is an issue to address.

Knowing what we are feeling will help us to address the source of our anger.

Anger can hit us when we least expect it. There are some people who get angry and not know what they are angry about. The

Up Next

Master Your Mind: 8 Subtle Clues Extraverted Intuition Is At Work

Is Extraverted Intuition Guiding You Subtle Clues

If youโ€™ve ever wondered how extraverted intuition works or if you might have it yourself, youโ€™re in the right place. Extraverted intuition (often abbreviated as Ne) is a personality trait that shows up as a knack for spotting connections, exploring ideas, and picking up on possibilities others might overlook.

Itโ€™s like a mental compass, pointing toward new insights, and itโ€™s often subtle but powerful.

Weโ€™re going to look at 8 little-known extraverted intuition signs is at play, helping you spot and harness this amazing skill set in your everyday life.

Let’s first start with what is extraverted intuition.

Related:

Up Next

How I Hacked My Personality: Steps To Be The Better Version Of Myself

How I Hacked My Personality

Can we truly reshape our personalities for lasting change? Discover Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala’s article “How I hacked my personality” and learn how small shifts in mindset and behavior can lead to meaningful transformation in your life.

A Personal Perspective: Science-backed strategies for intentional trait change.

Key points

Research suggests that personality changes over time.

We can speed up personality change by taking intentional action.

Changes that are reinforced by the environment are easier to maintain.

Up Next

Women Empowerment: The Rebecca Effect in “Ted Lasso”

Rebecca Effect In Ted Lasso Women Empowerment

Can women turn negative experiences into empowerment? Discover the โ€œRebecca Effectโ€ from Ted Lasso and transform your personal trials into powerful self-acceptance!

Personal Perspective: Empowering women to transform shame and betrayal.

Key points

“Ted Lasso” inspired with imperfect, endearing characters whose trials and transformations mirrored our own.

The โ€œRebecca Effectโ€ is the empowerment and transformation possible when we have been oppressed or shamed.

The “Rebecca Effect” is the process through which women embrace themselves in totality.

Up Next

The Healing Power of Emotional Tears

The Healing Power of Emotional Tears

Ever wondered why we shed emotional tears? Tears serve a healing purpose. Explore how it plays an important role for our well-being.

Emotional tears are an expression of our shared humanity.

Emotional tears, expressed by children, teens, and adults, are a universal experience observed across the globe. Emotional tears play a healing role, leading to our emotional and physical well-being. This post explores the value of emotional tears and the importance of presence and support from family and friends during unexpected

Read More Here: โ€œWhy Am I Always On The Verg

Up Next

10 Important Weekly Reflection Questions You Need To Ask Yourself

If you feel stuck and want to keep track of your goals every week, then weekly reflection questions can really help you. Weekly reflection questions can help you check in with yourself and make sure youโ€™re headed in the right direction. These are the questions you need to ask yourself every week to keep growing and moving forward.

Have you ever had a week with so much going on that you end the week feeling overwhelmed and exhausted? I know I have been there. Sometimes, the week goes by so fast that itโ€™s over before I know it, and there is no time left to process it.

A weekly reflection can help evaluate if what you are doing is working. It fosters self-growth. So, pull out that weekly reflection journal and answer the weekly reflection prompts below.