Imposter Syndrome

Why imposter syndrome may be holding you back from what you deserve.

Photo by JESSICA TICOZZELLI

What is Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome is a psychological term used for people that constantly feel like imposters in their everyday life. Whether it be at home, at work, or with friends, they constantly feel like they don’t belong in those environments. Even if they have a lot of friends or have accomplished great things, they may feel like they don’t deserve their situation or they are not worthy of it. This feeling can be triggered when somebody with this syndrome makes a mistake. It can also seemingly appear out of nowhere.

It is believed that about 30% of people are seriously impacted by this syndrome. Additionally close to 80% of people will experience feelings of impostorism at least once in their life.

The mindset of Imposter Syndrome

Why would somebody with a life that many view as successful have Imposter Syndrome? Well, people with Imposter Syndrome usually attribute their successes to external factors, rather than giving themselves credit. They blame their success on things like luck or effort they can not consistently give, or they credit the people around them who may have helped them.

Why do people develop Imposter Syndrome

While no official cause of Imposter Syndrome has been discovered, there are educated theories of the cause of this syndrome.

Family dynamics: Receiving criticism as a child can cause people to experience Imposter Syndrome when they are older. A lack of support or unfair expectations being put on them by their family can have the same result.

Perfectionism: People who suffer from perfectionism seem to never think anything is good enough. This ties into Imposter Syndrome because if people don’t think their work is good enough then they may not think they belong.

Mental Factors: People with mental factors like anxiety and low self-esteem may be more likely to doubt their achievements and feel like imposters.

Ways to Combat Imposter Syndrome

Recognize your successes: Taking a minute to recognize your past accomplishments can remind you you are capable of great things.

Embrace failure: Realize that it is ok if not everything you do is done perfectly. Even though you fail sometimes it does not mean you do not belong.

Reframe your thinking: When you feel feelings of self doubt start to creep in, try and reframe those thoughts into positive self affirmation thoughts instead.

As always, if you are struggling with Imposter Syndrome it may be a good idea to consult with a health care professional.