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Imposter syndrome is an anxiety disorder that many successful people experience. It’s the irrational fear of being seen as a fraud. If you doubt your abilities and think that other people are smarter or more capable than you, you’re suffering from imposter syndrome.
Trying to be perfect at everything and constantly comparing yourself to others are two of the main causes of imposter syndrome. When it comes to imposter syndrome, there are three things that can make all the difference:
Remind Yourself That It’s Normal
Everyone feels like a fraud sometimes—it’s part of being human. It doesn’t mean you have low self-esteem; it means you have realistic self-esteem. You know what you accomplished for yourself and what you still need to work on.
Based on Kajabi’s Impostor Phenomenon Study in 2020, a staggering 84% of the entrepreneurs and small business owners surveyed had scores indicating they feel like an imposter at moderate, frequent, or intense levels.
Even successful people cannot simply shake off imposter syndrome. They learn to manage it over time. In fact, many successful people experience feelings of imposter sooner or later in their careers—including many CEOs of large companies like Arianna Huffington, Sheryl Sandberg, Tim Cook, and Meg Whitman.
It is important to remember that imposter syndrome is common. People who feel like frauds often have very good reasons for feeling that way! They may be exceptionally high achievers, intelligent and competent individuals.
Recognize Your Accomplishments
Imposter syndrome is rooted in feeling like you haven’t earned what you’ve received. But if you challenge yourself to recognize all the things you’ve accomplished, it helps combat those feelings of self-doubt.
You are the sum of your experiences. It’s true that we all have different upbringings and unique life stories, but we all see the world through our own set of lenses. Experiences shape who we are, and no two people have had exactly the same experiences as one another. Your successes are a direct result of what has happened in your past. And those wouldn’t have happened without hard work, dedication, and perseverance. This can help put things into perspective.
Make sure you take time each day to acknowledge your successes and pat yourself on the back for all the hard work you put into getting where you are today. You deserve it!
Make a list of things that are important to you. Reaching a goal or milestone works great, but so does giving 100 per cent effort in everything you do. Especially when no one is watching or judging you. When you achieve things, write them down.
Know That They Pretend To Know More Than They Do
Imposter syndrome can be hard because it makes you feel like everyone else has all the answers and knows what they’re doing. But only because someone seems confident doesn’t mean they actually have everything figured out. In fact, it’s common for people to pretend to know more than they do–this is a huge problem in business!
The truth is that no one will know everything about every situation–including you! Even if someone seems like they know everything, they might actually be searching for the answers. This puts you on an equal playing field with everyone else.
It means that you don’t have to feel intimidated or threatened by stronger or more confident people. Instead, focus on learning as much as you can about your own field, and give yourself credit when you do learn something new!
Final Thoughts
The key takeaway from this should be to never let Imposter Syndrome take over. It is a real issue that many people – especially women – face. Many of us know the feeling of thinking we’re not good enough or smart enough to compete with others in our field. Sometimes it even leads us to leave our jobs or dream careers altogether.
If we don’t stop it, we may start seeing fewer women in entrepreneurship and other jobs that are traditionally dominated by men. Imposter Syndrome is nothing to be ashamed of, but it shouldn’t keep you from moving forward and doing what you do best.
