Managing Imposter Syndrome: How to Help Yourself Overcome the Fear

You probably heard the phrase imposter syndrome and it’s not pretty. Basically, it’s a state when you don’t feel good enough for a specific role or workplace. It’s a state of constant self-doubt. And it’s pretty widespread so we thought it’s time we write something about it.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a type of self-doubt where a person constantly doubts their own skills, abilities, and achievements. Hence, they fear they are always “performing”, “acting”, and being “fake” in their job.

This syndrome is also called Social Anxiety Impostor Syndrome and it affects people of all backgrounds and careers. It literally doesn’t matter if you work in healthcare, finance, law enforcement, IT sector, or engineering.

So, it can affect literally anyone. I know it’s not much of a comfort, but I do hope this makes you feel better – you’re not alone in this!

Strategies to Manage Imposter Syndrome

Surely, this syndrome can be a very frustrating and scary experience.

Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind that imposter syndrome is a type of self-doubt and not a clinical diagnosis. It’s important to be kind to yourself during this time. Do not beat yourself up for feeling like you don’t deserve your career.

Here are a few tips on how to manage imposter syndrome:

• Awareness  – when you feel the syndrome creeping in, embrace it. Observe the situation and be aware of what’s going on.
• Talk about it – find a friend, family member, or even a colleague you trust and share your truth. It’ll take away the power from the imposter syndrome.
• Work on your self-esteem – this can be done through workouts and courses that will make you feel better about yourself.
• Make a list of your strengths – even if you feel like a faker, there has to be something you appreciate about yourself. Therefore, write a list of those good sides and look at it every time the imposter syndrome is starting to come back!

Conclusion

To conclude, imposter syndrome is a common experience that many people go through. It can be frustrating, scary, and even depressing. However, with the right strategies, positive energy, and determination, you can overcome imposter syndrome. The trick is to accept it, be aware of it, learn about it, and take care of your mental health. Here are two pages you might find useful: Very Well Mind and Healthline.

We hope you find this useful and that it will help you get back on track in your career. If you need help with that, get in touch using the form below or read some of our blog posts that will help you out.

Remember, many people go through this and there are ways of handling it. The first step is that you’re aware this is your situation, and then you can see what would be the best way to approach it.

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