If you find it hard to receive compliments for your work and often think you don’t deserve it despite achieving a lot of milestones, know that you are a victim of imposter syndrome.
If you persistently think thoughts of not achieving enough despite being counted as one of the highest achievers, know that you are suffering from imposter syndrome.
If you are experiencing emotional exhaustion and feel overwhelmed due to the constant pressure of maintaining a facade of competence, you, without a doubt, have fallen prey to the imposter syndrome.
Resonating with the above descriptions doesn’t mean there’s no hope. It isn’t something that cannot be corrected by following the right strategies.
You’ve got them in place because you have adopted them as coping mechanisms for handling the pressures of life. They worked for you back then, but now they need restructuring when your thoughts and internal dialogs are making you feel unworthy.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome occurs when you feel unworthy and inadequate despite your successes and accomplishments. It is often an internal state in which you undermine your skills and abilities and attribute your success to luck and timing.
It is often accompanied by the thought that you have deceived others into thinking that you are competent, and there might come a time when everybody will know the truth that you aren’t as competent as you projected.
Way to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
The signs that tell—you are suffering from imposter syndrome include depression, anxiety, burnout, impaired job performance, and so on. If you find these symptoms resonate with you, it may be time to take a step back and reflect on your feelings.
Here are the ways to reverse this scenario:
#1: Acknowledge your Success and Accomplishments
Do you fall into the category of people who do not celebrate their successes? If so, think again! It could be due to your modesty or a deep-rooted reason that you may not be aware of.
If you have matched your symptoms and it’s coming out that you are suffering from imposter syndrome, start by celebrating your wins. Celebrating your success is not just important for fulfilling social obligations. There’s a deeper significance to acknowledging your achievements. It boosts your self-esteem and self-image in your own eyes.
🎭 Fun Fact
Research from the International Journal of Behavioral Science indicates that about 70% of people experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in their lives.
Just as it is important to check ourselves for our flaws and limitations to improve our performance, it is equally important to give ourselves the due credit and appreciation we deserve for our outstanding work. Recognizing our achievements fosters self-confidence and motivation—encouraging us to strive for even greater success in the future.
#2: Carefully Examine your Inner Critic
If you chase perfection, know that your inner critic is keeping you on your toes and not letting you breathe a sigh of relief. Working hard is alright, but setting ultra-high and unrealistic standards for ourselves to achieve high performance is not justified from any angle.
Chances are that your negative self-talk has been your driving force so far, making you chase the high standards in work or other areas of life. But living a life where you feel like a prisoner in the cage of your own thoughts and feelings is not what you must have desired. If your inner critic is crossing the boundaries and making you experience chronic stress, anxiety, and unworthiness in place of feeling celebrated, it’s time to go deep within and reset your internal dialog to make it work for you.
#3: Embrace Your Imperfections and Failures
Another effective means to pull yourself out of the imposter syndrome is to let go of perfection and embrace your imperfections. When you treat yourself with the same compassion and empathy and give yourself the room to make errors, you are restructuring your relationship with yourself. Pause and think!
🎭 Fun Fact
It was first identified in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who studied high-achieving women.
We often give others a discount for their flaws and mistakes. But why don’t we practice the same for ourselves? You must consciously involve yourself in this practice of giving yourself the chance to make mistakes, especially when you are suffering from imposter syndrome.
#4: Practice Self-Compassion
The root cause for not being able to give yourself the support and compassion you deserve is the lack of self-compassion. Understand that it is crucial to treat yourself with the same kindness you offer to others. You may think it won’t make much of a difference because all you see at that moment is your outward performance. Sooner or later, the implications of not being fair to yourself would come right in front of you. This is when you feel anxious, experience fear, and stress to the point that you lose your ability to perform well in the office.
The right course of action to fix imposter syndrome is to sit with yourself and observe your inner dialog whenever you catch yourself being harsh. Replace it with compassion and notice how it elevates your performance.
SHOP ON AMAZON#5: Practice Self-Affirmation
Now that we know the whole syndrome boils down to feeling incompetent and unworthy, the best way to approach it is by refarming negative thoughts into positive ones. Try to say to yourself positive affirmations about yourself. It could be:
👉I trust my abilities and intuition to guide me.
👉I am capable of learning and adapting to new challenges.
👉I choose to focus on my strengths and celebrate my successes.
👉I have worked hard to reach this point, and I deserve to be here.
👉It’s okay to make mistakes; they are part of my growth journey.
👉My skills and talents are valuable, and I bring unique contributions.
Quick Tips
- Limit comparisons. When we over-compare ourselves with others, we often lose the perspective of celebrating our individuality.
- Make it a habit to journal your success and accomplishments; it reminds us of our victories and helps us negate the thoughts of unworthiness and incompetency.
- Try to set realistic goals. It’s okay to keep your standards high so that you can aspire to achieve higher goals but not at the cost of your mental and emotional well-being.
- Remind yourself that it is okay to make mistakes. When you keep yourself alert in this form that you do not have the scope to make mistakes, it often comes across as being overly hard on yourself.
- Engage in continuous learning. If the sole aim is building confidence, then let it come from the constructive sources of adding degrees and certifications to your profile.
Conclusion
Breaking free from the cycle of imposter syndrome requires self-awareness, support, and resilience. Understand that you are not alone in this, and with the right practice and strategies, you can change the negative into positives. Look within and try to identify the voices that are being overly harsh. Reframe them into motivating and inspiring dialogs, and you’ll see that you have changed your side from being the harshest critic to the biggest supporter.
What psychological symptoms indicate the presence of imposter syndrome?
