If you sometimes feel like a fraud, don’t be alarmed; you’re not the only one who feels this way and it’s more common than you may think.
Counsellors use the term ‘Impostor Syndrome’ when they are referring to the psychological condition of individuals who feel that they are a fraud, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Counselling for Impostor Syndrome seeks to explore why people who have Impostor Syndrome seem unable to accept their skills, talents or worth and aims to build up their self-worth and self-confidence.
The psychological phenomenon known as The Impostor Syndrome is one where people report feeling self-doubt, and feel like they don’t belong and become anxious thinking that one day they will be ‘found out’. They also report feeling undeserving of what they have achieved in their lives; most notably in their careers. These individuals often believe that they are not worthy of their achievements and often tend to attribute their success to great timing or good fortune. This all comes down to a person’s core beliefs; the filters through which we interpret experiences and make decisions. These beliefs are often formed in childhood and can be conscious or unconscious. https://sydneyhillscounselling.com.au/blog/identifying-our-core-beliefs-are-your-unhelpful-core-beliefs-holding-you-back/
Impostor Syndrome affects up to 70% of people including some well-known identities; John Steinbeck, Arianna Huffington, Lady Gaga, Tom Hanks and Cheryl Sandberg (Chief Operating Officer of Facebook), so you’re in very good company if you have Impostor Syndrome.
We’re all susceptible to Impostor Syndrome; men and women, and these days, even school students. High-achieving individuals are more frequently found to have Impostor Syndrome than the average Joe, however, everyone is susceptible to Impostor Syndrome.
One confusing feature of Impostor Syndrome is that our internal self-doubt can quash any ‘evidence’, logic or facts that may overwhelmingly support our successes. Our self-doubt can win any battle or challenge we challenge it with, leaving us with the belief that our ability to ‘fool’ others with our fraudulent representation is the only thing we can successfully master. Overall, women are more susceptible than men to be affected by Impostor Syndrome, especially concerning their careers.
Picture this scenario. You’re in a meeting, and suddenly you feel the self-doubt creeping up on you. It’s your turn to give your presentation, and you start to feel as if you have no right to be there. You begin to sweat as self-doubt creeps into your mind. You just know that your colleagues will pick up that you don’t really know what you’re talking about, that you’re not worthy of your role and that it’s only a matter of time before they collectively notice that you’re not up to the job and that management will fire you.
People who have Impostor Syndrome constantly feel anxious that one day someone will find out that they don’t know what they’re doing: that they’re just not good enough or that they’re an outright fraud.
Here are some questions that may identify whether you may have Impostor Syndrome:
Do you ever feel that your success ‘happened’ because of sheer luck, being in the right place at the right time, just good timing or through error?
Do you ever secretly worry that people will find out that you’re not worthy?
Are you afraid that people who are important to you will find out that you’re not as capable as you really are?
Does making mistakes in your work cause you anxiety?
When your work is criticised, do you take it personally and view yourself as being inept?
If you succeed, do you feel as if you’ve fooled those ‘in the know’?
Do you feel anxious thinking that it’s just a matter of time until ‘they’ find you out?
Do you tend to minimise your achievements?
If you answered yes to even a few of these questions, you may be on the Impostor Syndrome spectrum; the more questions you answered yes to, the more likely Impostor Syndrome is likely to be problematic for you.
You can also take this Impostor Syndrome Test here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/tests/personality/imposter-syndrome-test
Here are seven tips to effectively overcome Impostor Syndrome:
Separate your feelings from the facts. We all feel stupid and incompetent at times. Just because you feel stupid doesn’t mean you are. Recall your successes and how they helped you to get to where you are today.
Don’t ‘overwork’ your work. Although being a perfectionist can drive you to excel at your work, don’t obsess about every single detail being perfect. Forgive yourself when you make mistakes; it happens.
Respond positively to failure. Learn from your mistakes and move forward.
Keep a record of all the positive feedback you receive for your work and read it when plagued by bouts of Impostor Syndrome.
Correct your automatic thoughts that start playing through your head. Automatic negative thoughts trigger our impostor feelings. Instead of thinking, “Wait until they find out I have no idea what I’m doing”, try correcting this thought by thinking, “This is something new. Most people who start work on something new feel uncertain in the beginning. I don’t know all the answers and solutions right at this moment, but I’m smart enough to find them out”.
Do what professional athletes do and visualise success. Visualise yourself calmly making a successful presentation or addressing a meeting. This is much more helpful than visualising a disastrous presentation where you make a fool of yourself.
Fly by the seat of your pants and ‘fake it ‘til you make it’! Courage comes from taking risks; this is a real plus to help build your confidence.
I believe that Impostor Syndrome is becoming more prevalent in today’s working world. Individuals are being pushed to be actively in control of their careers. There seems to be fewer opportunities to find permanent and fulfilling work in companies that are willing to commit to individuals seeking a long-term career. Changing roles frequently can lead to an individual developing Impostor Syndrome and this is something which may follow them from role to role, from company to company and may worsen over time.
So, how can counselling help those who have Impostor Syndrome?
Impostor Syndrome doesn’t just ‘appear’ out of nowhere and for no reason. It’s usually closely linked to feeling as though we’re not good enough or not as good as our peers. It can also be connected to our need to protect ourselves. A fear that the real ‘us’ is something others may reject leads us to wear a perpetual ‘mask’ to prevent this from happening.
If we’re struggling with Impostor Syndrome, it’s best to address it sooner rather than later as it can lead us to feel increasingly anxious, inadequate, suffer from low self-esteem, and possibly depression. Impostor Syndrome can also significantly affect our professional and personal relationships. Working with a professional, registered counsellor can help you to understand why you’re experiencing Impostor Syndrome and learn strategies and skills to help you overcome it.
Counselling provides a safe space to explore the common feelings of aloneness, isolation, anxiety, shame and guilt which can often accompany Impostor Syndrome. It’s also a space where you can begin to understand where and when the feeling of ‘not being good enough’ stemmed from, and learn skills to challenge the negative thoughts, feelings and core beliefs which propel it.
Take the first step to overcoming Impostor Syndrome and call or email us today. Please call us today on (02) 9159-6277 for a confidential chat, or you can also email us at [email protected] for further information.
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