By Alex Sorrells / The Jambar
Imposter syndrome is very common for those entering new professional roles. Anyone who has been in this situation may say that the feeling can be very discouraging.
What exactly is imposter syndrome? Merriam Webster defines it as “a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one’s ongoing success.”
In simple terms, it means that one may feel inadequate in a position, despite experience and education that specifically trained them for the task at hand.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of North Carolina, 70% of individuals have experienced some form of imposter syndrome with it manifesting in greater than 20% of college students. Students of color may also feel more pressure to represent their culture due to cultural stereotypes.
According to the National Institute of Health, imposter syndrome can be characterized by two categories — over-preparation and procrastination.
Those with over-preparedness may feel that they need to put in more effort to achieve the same goal as others. Procrastination is noted as the feeling of finishing tasks at the last minute which will cause them to be “exposed as a fraud.”
This phenomenon can happen to anyone, in any industry, even taking place in academic settings. It is important to remember that it is nothing more than a thought pattern, not reality. It is also crucial to embrace a growth mindset by accepting mistakes as learning opportunities.
The NIH describes four other characteristics of imposter syndrome.
Super heroism is the need to be the best and is also a characteristic of over-preparedness. Along with this, another major characteristic is a fear of failure. This is anxiety-based that plays on feelings of shame and humiliation.
It is also common for people to discredit their own intelligence and experience by relating success to luck. The final characteristic is fear of success. This concern relates to the feeling that increased success leads to increased expectations or an even greater workload.
Symptoms of imposter syndrome can have lasting effects that can lead into adulthood. According to NAMINC, symptoms can lead to anxiety, neuroticism, depression and substance abuse.
There are many active ways to combat these feelings. It is important to talk about these feelings as internalizing these thoughts can lead to even greater anxieties.
One can also keep a log of their achievements that can be reviewed when imposter-related feelings begin to swell. This is simply a way to reaffirm the fact that one should be in a position and that they are performing well.
Working towards a shift in mindset is one of the most important things that can help with this phenomenon. Being able to treat oneself with compassion can make it easier to accept mistakes or even success.
Although imposter syndrome is very common, there are many strategies to avoid these feelings and build confidence in any field.