Do I Have Imposter Syndrome?

If you are wondering whether you have Imposter Syndrome or not, the chances are that you already have an idea of what it is. However, it will not hurt to go over what it means again in detail.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter Syndrome is the nagging feeling that you are not as efficient or skillful as everyone else thinks you are. It is like being ushered into a room of influential people because you are considered to be one of them. Yet, you cannot sit easy and revel in it because you think you are just a fraud and will soon be fished out. Imposter syndrome can affect anybody at all.

Signs that you have Imposter Syndrome

People affected by Imposter syndrome exhibit similar characteristics. We will examine a couple of them. To explain this well, let us use Michelle, a 24-year-old young woman, as a case study.

• Insecurity and Self-doubt

Michelle took up a career in Web Development two years before she graduated from the university. She used her savings and some extra funds from her parents to get a good laptop. All of her spare time and holidays were dedicated to online classes, boot camps, and internships.

One year after she started, she started getting some side gigs with small Nigerian companies. She continued this way, managing to strike a balance with her academics till she graduated. Two months after graduation, she got her very first full-time job as a Junior Front End Developer.

It seemed like all her hard work had finally paid off. But she could not come to terms with the fact that she had been picked out of the hundreds of people who applied for the job. She considered turning down the offer but was encouraged by friends to go ahead with it. The feelings of doubt did not leave her. It could be seen in how she would sit on the edge of her chair during meetings. She always feared that someone would one day point her out as unqualified to be in that position.

Hours upon hours of practice over the years should have been enough proof for Michelle to believe that she was capable enough. Looking at her track record, experience, and the amount of effort she had put into developing her craft— she deserved it. Everyone could see this. Everyone,except Michelle.

• Refusing to accept your successes and achievements

Michelle had worked hard to get to this point, throwing herself into a lot of rigorous training. She had a well-organized portfolio and a good resume. Still, she found it difficult to accept her success. The company always published a weekly report showing the work performance of each staff member. Week after week, her work was excellent but that did not change anything. She thought she was just lucky.

People with imposter syndrome try to seek validation in accomplishing certain feats. Yet they are unable to internalize and accept their successes.

Another scenario that easily comes to mind is a track athlete winning a 1500m race after months of training. Yet, standing on the podium with the gold medal, she feels that there was some form of mistake. It was an open race and everyone had watched from beginning to end. The stadium resounds with applause but she is alone in her head feeling like a fraud. “This must be a mistake. Am I a good athlete?”

• Striving to overachieve

To make up for her insecurities, Michelle worked herself to stupor from dusk to dawn. She would do what was required of her and even much more. She refused to take any breaks or even work leaves.

A major burden carried by people with Imposter Syndrome is the persistent desire to prove a point. They are always trying to show that they are truly worthy and deserving of a position, title, or reward. It is a vicious cycle that consumes a person.

• Setting very unrealistic goals and beating yourself up for not achieving them

Michelle never stopped sending job applications. On a Friday afternoon, while sitting at her work desk, Michelle got a rejection letter from one of the big five companies in the tech industry. She was thrown into a perpetual state of sadness for days. Friends and colleagues tried to talk her out of it but she would not budge. It was just six months post-university. Four months into her first full-time job yet she was devastated because of a rejection mail from one of the topmost tech companies. This was not a realistic goal but she was beating herself up for not achieving it.

People challenged with Imposter Syndrome set difficult lofty standards for themselves. They try to do seemingly impossible things just to prove a point. When they fail, they are demoralized and wallow in self-guilt.

• Fear of Failure

The day Michelle missed a line of code was the day her worst nightmare became a reality. She had always dreaded the day she would make a mistake and ‘fail’ in the presence of her colleagues. What she feared the most had happened to her and it seemed the whole world would crumble around her.

Many times, this is the root motive for a person with Imposter Syndrome. There is an intense fear of falling short or missing the mark. So, they work super hard. No human being is immune to failure and as such, what they fear eventually happens at some point. They see it in no other way than a catastrophic event.

Likely causes of Imposter Syndrome

Knowing the signs is not enough. It is important to trace the origin and then find a way out of it. Two major factors can be outlined.

• Childhood Memories

Oftentimes, children face pressure to live up to the expectations of their parents and teachers. Constantly striving to please other people and prove a point can leave a lasting impression on the young mind of children. It creates a pattern where such individuals are constantly trying to gain approval. It is a toxic pattern that doesn’t end.

Sibling rivalry and classroom competition are also important factors in this phenomenon. They are usually characterized by comparison which can lead to feelings of inadequacy in children. It is hard to erase these memories.

Furthermore, children who grow up in environments where they are harshly criticized for their mistakes tend to have constant feelings of self-doubt.

• Environmental Prejudice

People who experience some form of discrimination often struggle with Imposter Syndrome. They find themselves constantly having to prove that they are enough and worthy of recognition. It becomes a daily habit that morphs into a toxic habit and then full-blown Imposter Syndrome.

Little wonder that the 1978 study on Imposter Syndrome by Pauline Rose Clance & Suzanne Imes Brown was focused on High Achieving Women. They studied 150 high-achieving women in the United States. It was discovered that despite consistent external validation of their capabilities, they still did not believe in their successes. One of the reasons they pointed out for this phenomenon was Gender Stereotypes. In a time where gender equality was not as well-spoken off as in recent times, it is clear to see why this was so.

Types of Imposter Syndrome

Dr. Valerie Young has written and spoken extensively on the subject of Imposter Syndrome. She categorized it into five different groups.

1. The Perfectionist

Imposter Syndrome and Perfectionism will more often than not be experienced simultaneously. No matter what they achieve they always feel they could have done it better.

2. The Superwoman/man

These are the consistent overachievers who will consistently break records and achieve lofty goals. Yet, it never feels enough. They are always ready to work themselves to stupor.

3. The Natural Genius

Such people have been made to believe that they have a rare, innate ability. Therefore, they are constantly under pressure to accomplish great feats with ease. They believe they have to excel without exerting themselves too much.

4. The Soloist

They are obsessed with the idea of being Independent and will refuse to ask for help even when they are under pressure. They believe that asking for help will portray them as frauds.

5. The Expert

This set of people pursue knowledge because they are scared of not being vast enough in a particular field. They judge their worthiness by how much they know about a particular subject. They continue in an endless insatiable pursuit for knowledge and expertise.

A Cure For Imposter Syndrome?

If you are plagued by Imposter Syndrome or if you know anyone who is, you might have probably wondered if there is a cure. Is it a burden to live with? Is it something you feel you can cope with? Do you believe there is no cure?

It is normal that you feel confused about this but there are certain things you need to know. First, you need to choose not to live with it. Imposter syndrome causes high levels of anxiety, worry, shame, lack of confidence and self doubt. This is very detrimental to one's health and can eventually lead to depression.

The issue with Imposter Syndrome is that it creates such a vicious cycle. It is like an endless dark hole that cannot be filled up. Despite external validation and accomplishments, feelings of inadequacy persist. It is not a physiological sickness that you can take a few pills for to automatically solve it. You will need to walk through it step by step.

The following will help:

• Talk about it. Be ready to open up about how you feel to trusted family members and close friends. Feedback from people you love can take you a step closer to seeing things differently. Also, consider seeing a mental health professional to help tackle the things you are feeling.

• Keep a Journal of past achievements and develop the habit of celebrating every accomplishment no matter how little it seems. Small gestures like getting yourself a bowl of ice cream to celebrate, can awaken a sense of realization. Step by step, you can learn to accept your successes.

• Know the symptoms and consciously challenge negative thoughts. Learn to accept your strengths. Learn to understand your weaknesses and be easy on yourself as you work towards getting better. Remember that perfection is a myth and mistakes are inevitable.

• Stop Comparison and set realistic goals. One of the most harmful things you can do to yourself is to compare yourself to another person. Try as much as possible not to indulge in the habit of comparing your physical looks, material possessions, achievements or anything else with another person’s. It is a self-destructive habit that will do much more harm than good if any. It erodes one’s self-esteem and creates the feeling of not being enough or not measuring up. Set simple clear goals that challenge you positively. Be kind to yourself.

In conclusion,

As much as it is important to be sincere with yourself, understand that what you feel does not define who you are. For example, from time to time, we feel dumb in certain situations or for doing certain things. This does not mean you should see yourself as a dumb person.

Learn to healthily evaluate your abilities, set realistic goals. Focus on winning much more for yourself than for external validity or approval. Cheer yourself on and let the applause be an extra cherry on the cake. Believe in yourself— If you want the world to, do it first.