We’ve all had them—those nagging, fraudy feelings in the back of our minds telling us we don’t belong: Imposter syndrome. But what are these feelings, why do we feel them, and how can we break the imposter loop?
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Impostor syndrome is a psychological pattern in which one doubts one’s accomplishments and has a persistent, internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” According to the American Psychological Association, impostor syndrome or imposter phenomenon was first described by psychologists Suzanne Imes, PhD, and Pauline Rose Clance, PhD, in the 1970s, and “occurs among high achievers who are unable to internalize and accept their success.”
These people often “attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than to ability, and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud.” Impostor syndrome can be linked to other feelings of self-doubt, such as fear of success, fear of failure, or self-sabotage. What’s more, it naturally shows up when we try new things. It’s a very real form of intellectual self-doubt, and can even be accompanied by anxiety and depression.
Harvard Business Review (HBR) describes common thoughts and feelings associated with imposter syndrome as being:
- “I must not fail.”
- “I feel like a fake.”
- “It’s all down to luck.”
- “Success is no big deal.”
If you’re having these feelings, you’re not alone! Many people suffer in silence—they don’t talk about it because they’re afraid of being “found out.”
Why Do We Feel This Way?
HBR explains that these feelings can take root in the labels parents attach to their children, i.e. the “sensitive one” or the “intelligent one”. Another reason is that parents program the child with messages of superiority. “The child is so fully supported that the parents and child believe that he or she is superior or perfect.”
Breaking the Imposter Loop
So how do we break out of this loop of negative feelings? It’s important to first recognize that everyone feels this way at some point in their lives. If or when you do, reach out to a mentor, friend, or therapist to acknowledge your feelings and work through them.
Next, instead of focusing on all the ways you “may” not be enough, turn your attention to your accomplishments, your expertise, and identifying what you do well; and always remember that you don’t have to do everything well.
Here’s a real-world example of breaking out of the imposter loop. One of our clients was recently brought on to her family’s board to focus on sustainability. She’s feeling the “imposter syndrome” show up as the company looks to her for input on a new documentary they’re producing. She came to us overwhelmed by how to contribute and not look like an idiot. Through our work together she came to realize that since her background is in film and TV, she has a lot of expertise on how to make a good documentary. So while the subject matter—sustainability—is something she might still be learning, the output—a documentary—is something she can provide a ton of value on, while learning and growing her skills in the realm of sustainability. This allowed her to approach the project with much more confidence.
Have you ever felt this way? Take this one-response survey to anonymously share where and when you’ve experienced imposter syndrome. We’ll compile responses and share our findings in a future post!