Impostor Syndrome
When your harshest critic is yourself
Have you ever felt like you don’t quite belong where you are? That you’ve fooled everyone and achieved more success than you deserve? Or maybe it’s the fear that someone will soon discover you’re not as qualified as you should be. And when they do, it’ll all come crashing down.
What is impostor syndrome?
Even if you know these doom-and-gloom scenarios aren’t valid, it can be tough to silence those thoughts—that’s impostor syndrome at work.
Our “internal voice” can sometimes be the worst to listen to. It’s a harsh critic, pointing out all your flaws and reminding you of your failures. Impostor syndrome is a particularly insidious critic because it hits you where you’re most vulnerable. It convinces you that you can’t even trust your sense of competence.
If you’ve ever felt the symptoms of impostor syndrome, you’re not alone. You’re in excellent company. According to one study, 70% of all people have felt like an “impostor” at some point. That number includes Albert Einstein, Serena Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Hanks, and many others. People who – I’m sure you would agree – have no reason to doubt their abilities.
How impostor syndrome hurts
Self-doubt is a serious issue. Our thoughts play a big role in creating our reality. Many, including myself, assert that our thoughts play the biggest part.
Impostor syndrome can tell you that you have nothing valuable to add to a meeting. You choose not to speak up. That becomes your pattern. Your ideas and thoughts – ones with real value – never get heard. And you miss out on the chance to be seen as a contributor, which limits your career growth.
Impostor syndrome might tell you you’re not qualified for a position, so don’t apply. You stay where you are and remain unemployed or limit your opportunity for growth.
Impostor syndrome may tell you you’re not worth the money you think you should be making. You carry that doubt into your salary negotiation. Your confidence – or lack thereof – comes across. You limit your earning potential. We can discuss the other side of that coin, unrealistic expectations, later.
These are just a few ways that chronic self-doubt – feeling like an impostor – can hold you back in your career and keep you from achieving the things you could. And we haven’t even talked about the anxiety and stress people feel because of impostor syndrome. Those constant doubts also hamper our happiness and quality of life.
Five tips to silence the critic
If your internal impostor is vocal, getting it to hush up is easier said than done. That said, I’d like to offer five tips that can help turn down the volume.
Remember that you’re not alone
It’s easy to believe you’re the only one doubting yourself. That’s far from the truth. As I mentioned, 70% of people have felt this way, including most competent people like you. In moments of doubt, look around the room and remember that most people around you have felt the same way you do.
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Recognize the voice for what it is
Your inner critic isn’t logical or rational. The things it’s telling you aren’t based on fact. They’re based on fear and insecurity. And all they are is thoughts. They’re potent thoughts, but they’re thoughts, nonetheless. Recognizing them as such is the first step to lessening their hold on you.
Set achievable goals
Setting personal and professional goals is the only way to achieve them. When setting goals, be ambitious, of course, but also realistic. Set a few stretch goals for yourself and others well within your reach. You’ll set yourself up to regularly feel accomplished and successful.
Inventory your accomplishments
Since you’re on a roll, keep track of your successes. Write them down (and, of course, add the really good quantifiable ones to your resume!). When you feel your confidence slipping, use this to remind yourself of your competence and abilities.
Don’t compare
Thanks to social media, comparing yourself to others has always been challenging. Whether career accomplishments on LinkedIn, personal and family matters on Facebook and Instagram or … well, whatever it is, people do on TikTok, there’s no shortage of material. But never fall into the trap of comparing someone’s highlight reel to your director’s cut. Stay focused on your priorities.
A final word to management …
When you’re in a management role, you may occasionally have to deal with your impostor syndrome. But remember that your staff may also be dealing with inner critics of their own. Look for people who might be holding themselves back because of self-doubt. Build them up and encourage them to step up. You’ll be helping to silence their critic … and maybe yours as well.
Additional Resources
PsychologyToday.com: Imposter Syndrome
VeryWellMind.com: Imposter Syndrome: Why You May Fell Like a Fraud
JimNewcomb.com: Resources
Last week’s blog, in case you missed it: Hospitality to the Office
[Jim Newcomb has been a Senior Recruiting Partner with Goodwin Recruiting since 2013, 2016 Partner of the Year, 2017 Ambassador of the Year, 2018 Extensive Support Coach of the Year, 2020 created Daily Positive Thoughts, and 2021 created JimNewcomb.com website for consistent contribution.]