"They must have made a mistake in hiring this or promoting me. I don't deserve this."

"My work is not good enough. They are going to find out that I am not a real artist."

"I have no idea what I am doing. They will figure out that I am fooling everyone at being a business owner."

"These people are so much smarter and accomplished than me. I don't belong here."

"I didn't nail the presentation, I just got lucky that the numbers were good in Q3."

Sounds familiar?

At one point or another, we all have experienced those nagging feelings of doubt and unworthiness. Rather than celebrating your achievements, if you are constantly worrying that you somehow tricked people into thinking that you are good enough, then you need an intervention before imposter syndrome hinders your success.

In this blog post, you'll get to know:

• How to identify if you have imposter syndrome?
• What are the symptoms of imposter syndrome?
• How to overcome imposter syndrome?

How to identify if you have imposter syndrome?

The signs of imposter syndrome appear in our day-to-day conversations and behaviors, from writing emails to telling jokes. But we tend to ignore these signs.

The first step is identifying and acknowledging the behaviors that are impacting your thoughts. Tanya Livesey, a creative leadership coach in their masterclass "Overcoming Imposter Syndrome for Creatives" by D&AD suggested asking yourself these following questions:

• Do you shy away from taking on new challenges because you aren't sure if you are good enough?
• Do you think all your success is just 'luck' or 'good timing'?
• Do you feel uncomfortable and unworthy of receiving appreciation or praise for your work?
• Do you hate making mistakes or feel extremely embarrassed if you don't know anything?
• When you succeed, do you think, "Phew, I got away with that!"?

What are the symptoms of imposter syndrome?

Based on your personality type, imposter syndrome manifests in different ways. Some of the most common types of imposter syndrome are the following:

The Perfectionist

They set exceedingly high standards for themselves. They are striving for flawlessness to prevent exposure as 'frauds' and to avoid failure. This eventually led to chronic dissatisfaction with their work.

Signs you may be the perfectionist type:

• You micro-manage and obsess over little details
• You find it hard to delegate
• You have an incredible fear of failure and making mistakes

How to address perfectionism?

• Spot your perfectionist thoughts. Do a cost-benefit analysis for the time and energy.
• Challenge yourself to allow some room for imperfection. For example, it can be leaving an unflattering photo of yourself on social media or negotiating a reasonable time to complete a project.

The Superhuman

This type of personality always wants to do more and excel in all aspects of life to justify their accomplishments. They're often workaholics and believe they'll be able to handle everything without help.

Signs you may be the superhuman type:

• You feel stressed when you aren't working
• You find it hard to handle constructive criticism
• You feel guilty when taking breaks or enjoying leisure activities

How to address this challenge?

• Reframe your view of achievements. Credit personal strengths and hard work rather than external factors only.
• Remind yourself that you need to recharge for better work through breaks and by saying "no" to things.

The Natural Genius

Natural geniuses expect success to come effortlessly to them. That's why they set incredibly high standards for themselves. But when they are put into a highly competitive environment and they face challenges, they perceive it as a sign of incompetence.

Signs you may be the genius type include:

• Your self-confidence shakes considerably when you face a new challenge
• You believe success comes from inherent ability, and not hard work or practice
• You could be less patient with the learning journey of others

How to address this challenge?

• Shift your perspective from being a genius to a "work-in-progress"
• Break down your past success by understanding that those had been the combination of seizing the opportunity, continuous practice, and hard work,

The Soloist

Soloists prefer to work alone and are reluctant to ask for help, due to the fear that it'll expose their inadequacy — leading to isolation, which can hinder collaboration and growth.

Signs you may be a soloist type include:

• You feel incompetent if you need help
• You believe you can handle everything on your own
• You struggle to collaborate and accept feedback

How to address this challenge?

• Learn the art of delegation
• Build a support network that you can rely on for help and guidance.

The Expert

They often believe that they should know everything about their field. They keep doubting their abilities to handle the challenges of their job. Any knowledge gaps can make them feel like imposters. This can lead to overcompensation through constant learning and validation seeking.

Signs you may be an expert type include:

• You believe you need to master every step of the process
• You believe you need to have all the answers
• You feel like you won't be able to handle the challenges despite the expertise

How to address this challenge?

• Actively pursue opportunities for learning and growth
• Engage in challenges and activities to acquire new skill sets
• Take up any activity where you get to learn from people younger than you

What is the Impact of Imposter Syndrome?

Impostor syndrome exerts a far-reaching influence, affecting not only your professional advancement but also your personal relationships. It can act as a roadblock, impeding your ability to express ideas and opinions, ultimately leading to unfulfilled potential. Some of the prevalent consequences associated with impostor syndrome include:

• Anxiety and Stress: The constant fear of being exposed as a fraud can create overwhelming anxiety and stress.
• Self-Deprecation: Individuals grappling with impostor syndrome often engage in self-criticism and underestimate their own abilities.
• Poor Work-Life Balance: Striving to meet unrealistically high standards may result in a skewed work-life balance, with excessive focus on work at the expense of personal life.
• Burnout: The relentless pursuit of perfection can lead to burnout, as the impostor constantly pushes themselves to the limit.
• Low Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence: A lack of belief in one's capabilities can erode self-esteem and self-confidence, impacting overall well-being.
• Career Stagnation: Impostor syndrome can hinder career progression by deterring individuals from pursuing new opportunities or taking risks.
• Lowered Job Satisfaction & Job Performance: Constant self-doubt can diminish job satisfaction and impair job performance.
• Procrastination: The fear of failure often leads to procrastination, as individuals hesitate to act due to the perceived risk of not meeting their own high expectations.
• Risk Aversion: Those with impostor syndrome tend to shy away from taking risks, fearing that any misstep will expose their perceived inadequacies.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome?

Track your success and challenges

Journaling your successes and struggles provides tangible evidence of your accomplishments and areas of improvement. Reflecting on the challenges you faced and how you overcame those builds your self-confidence and reduces self-doubt. It also helps you embrace a learning mindset. You can use this Notion template for journaling and self-reflection.

Keep a hype squad

Tanya Livesey, a creative leadership coach, suggests thinking of 5 people whose opinions you trust and asking them the following 5 questions. Tell them that you value their opinion and ask them to answer the questions as honestly as they can, based on their perception of you.

• What one word or phrase describes me best?
• What do you think is my greatest achievement?
• What do you value most about me?
• What's one thing I could change for my benefit?
• What do you believe to be my greatest strength?
  

Change the self-talk

Negative self-talk can amplify feelings of inadequacy. Use reframing techniques to shift your perspective to look at the challenge. For example, "I know I should do that presentation, but I hate public speaking - I know I'll mess it up". You can reframe it to "Doing that presentation will be great for my learning. It's not the end of the world if I make a few mistakes - the more I do, the better I'll get".

Replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations such as "I am capable" or "I am deserving of success." Use language that reinforces your strengths and abilities, and remind yourself that mistakes and failures are a natural part of the learning process. 

Embrace a learning mindset

Embracing a learning mindset is a key tool for conquering imposter syndrome. Shifting the focus from perfection to growth enables you to view setbacks as opportunities for learning and development. This mindset fosters self-compassion, making it easier to accept that no one knows everything. It also encourages seeking help and collaborating with others, reducing the fear of admitting you don't have all the answers. Ultimately, it empowers you to tackle imposter syndrome by embracing continuous learning and growth. 

Nurture self-confidence with self-compassion

By nurturing self-confidence, we can learn to accept ourselves, including our flaws, and overcome perfectionism. This means letting go of the unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves and allowing ourselves to make mistakes. As Lou Solomon shares in her Ted Talk about imposter syndrome, when we believe in our abilities, we become more resilient to criticism and less likely to give up on our goals.

Conclusion:

Brene Brown, in her book Daring Greatly writes — "While we spend our lives waiting until we're perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena, we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable. We squander our precious time and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make. Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don't exist in human experience."

Consider imposter syndrome as your early warning system, gently nudging you to venture beyond your comfort zone. Take pride in the fact that you're challenging yourself and stretching your boundaries. The next time you find yourself admiring the talents of your colleagues and peers, remember that they, too, likely grapple with imposter feelings. Be kind to yourself and recognize that we are all on a similar journey of self-discovery and growth.

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