Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome can do two things to a person; the first one is motivating you to do better, which when managed, can be good for you. The second one is constant anxiety. You may over prepare or work much harder than necessary to make sure that no one finds out that you are a fraud and this affects your mental and emotional wellbeing.

Imposter syndrome is the experience of feeling like you do not belong where you are, and that you only got the job through luck. This can affect anyone without regard to their social status, work background skill level, academic qualifications or expertise. It is not limited to our work spaces, it can also affect us in our social circles, thinking that we do not deserve the people we are married to and the friends that we have.

It is difficult to deal with this syndrome because the experience of doing well at something does not change your beliefs about yourself. You may sail through presentations and meet all your KPI’s, the thoughts still keep coming back and you keep asking yourself what gives you the right to be in any of the spaces that you operate in. it is as though you cannot internalize your own experiences of success.

If you find yourself feeling like you are an imposter, it may be helpful for you to speak to a counselor or therapist. The negative thinking, self-doubt and self-sabotage that often characterize imposter syndrome can have an effect on many areas of your life.