Understanding and Managing Imposter Syndrome
Have you ever heard of or experienced Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a complex psychological phenomenon that manifests as a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt. Individuals attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than their own abilities and efforts. Despite external evidence of competence, those who experience imposter syndrome often fear being exposed as a “fraud.” This internalized fear can lead to anxiety, stress, and a reluctance to accept praise and recognition.
When we think of imposter syndrome, we often assume it is an experience felt by those who are experiencing things like for example, a new job or a new relationship. Imposter syndrome affects individuals in many different situations.
As a psychologist, when working with clients struggling with imposter syndrome, the first thing I often notice is clients engaging in “thinking traps” (or patterns of biased or distorted thinking) that leads them to perceive themselves inaccurately.
Common cognitive distortions that often lead to imposter syndrome:
Perfectionism
When we engage in perfectionist thinking, we often work tirelessly to avoid mistakes. If we live with a perfectionism mindset too long, we often create unrealistic standards for ourselves making it nearly impossible to accurately view our achievements and experiences in a positive light.
Attribution Bias
This thought trap occurs when we attribute success to external factors such as timing or luck. Conversely, we attribute failures to our own shortcomings.
Comparison Traps
This thought trap occurs when we constantly compare ourselves to others who appear more accomplished than us. This tends to reinforce a feeling of inadequacy, often fueling feelings of imposter syndrome even further.
It is important to identify our thinking traps so that we can move forward and incorporate healthy management strategies.
The following are three helpful strategies to help cope with imposter syndrome:
Normalize Failure and Imperfection
To some degree, we are all afraid of failure. This fear may stem from an experience or experiences that happened a long time ago. Perhaps we experienced an overly critical parent or teacher that scolded us for making mistakes. Subsequently we may have internalized the notion that making mistakes must avoided at all costs. We may struggle with feelings of guilt and shame around making mistakes perpetuating a cycle of fear around mistake-making.
Making mistakes and experiencing setbacks are part of natural growth and development. There is no human on earth who hasn’t experienced some form of failure along the way. Learning to tolerate our mistakes is crucial in maintaining good mental health.
Set Realistic Goals
When we experience imposter syndrome at our jobs or in our daily lives, we may unknowingly be setting goals for ourselves that are altogether unreasonable or unachievable. Imposter syndrome often thrives on self-doubt and ambiguity. Therefore, it is important to ask ourselves whether the goals we are setting are reasonable or further increasing a sense that we are not “good enough”. Rather than set an ambiguous goal of “being perfect at my job” utilize the S.M.A.R.T. acronym to set more reasonable goals. For more information please refer here: How to Set S.M.A.R.T Goals in Therapy.
Develop a Habit of Noticing Achievements
Notice and be proud of your achievements! By practicing this, this pattern of behaviour can become habitual. Train your mind to enjoy and seek out your achievements and positives! When we experience imposter syndrome, we often have unconsciously trained our minds to seek out negatives. Take the necessary time to reflect on compliments and focus on your positive achievements.
By understanding the roots of imposter syndrome and learning effective coping strategies, we can gradually manage difficult feelings and cultivate a more realistic self-perception. Take the necessary time to do so. You are worth it!
