How to overcome imposter syndrome?

How to overcome imposter syndrome? What exactly is this syndrome? Did you know the concept? To know if you suffer from it, we give you some clues: if you feel that your life “does not belong to you”, that you are being the protagonist of another’s life, that your achievements do not depend on you but on luck, that you do not deserve to have success…

You may be experiencing imposter syndrome.. And now the most important thing: how to really identify it to gradually combat it? We give you some keys for this, based, above all, on personal reflection.

What is imposter syndrome?

Impostor syndrome was first described in 1993, by Pauline Rose Clance, who published research on the matter.

This syndrome is what characterizes those people who always have the feeling of “having a stroke of luck”, especially in the work or academic field; Thus, they believe that their achievements do not depend on their abilities and efforts, but on luck. They also have the feeling that they do not deserve what they have and, in a way, that their life does not belong to them. As if they were impostors of their own life (hence the name of the syndrome). The most obvious manifestations of this syndrome are:

Belief that you do not deserve your own achievements. Disbelief in your own abilities. Fear that others will discover that you are a fraud. Permanent dissatisfaction. Expectation of failure in habitual situations of success. Demotivation associated with lack of personal confidence. Anxiety, sadness, despair , hopelessness.

The consequences of this syndrome are undeniable, since they place the person in an almost permanent state of learned helplessness (“I can’t do anything to change my situation.”), even if they are really living an ideal or good situation. Other effects to highlight on the person are:

Avoids making changes or leaving their comfort zone. Does not celebrate successes. Passes up job opportunities such as promotions. Refuses to feel that the work they do has value.

Causes of imposter syndrome

In early studies of the syndrome, researchers found that it was associated with factors including early family dynamics and gender stereotypes. Nevertheless it is now known that it can also occur in people of all origins, ages and genders.

One study maintains that l the parenting styles Controlling or overprotective people can contribute to the development of imposter syndrome in children. It has also been found that people who come from families characterized by high levels of conflict and low support may be more likely to experience imposter syndrome.

Taking on a new role in life or starting a new project triggers imposter syndrome. According to the APA, This syndrome is often common when people are going through transitions and trying new things. The pressure to achieve and succeed combined with a lack of experience can trigger feelings of inadequacy in these new roles and environments.

Personality may also be related to this syndrome. Some traits or characteristics that could be relevant are:

Low self-efficacy: having little confidence that one’s abilities are sufficient to achieve success. Perfectionism: Thinking that there is a perfect script for doing things can undermine the achievements obtained. Neuroticism: It is linked to higher levels of anxiety, insecurity, tension and guilt.

Another explanation for this syndrome comes from social psychology, which tells us that the way people are treated by others is a relevant precursor to the feeling of being an imposter. This is because interactions are linked to social evaluation signals, which convey whether others see them as valuable people or not. These cues ultimately guide individuals’ assessments of their own worth and therefore shape their self-esteem and sense of being worthy (or unworthy) of their “place” within that group or context ( Feenstra et al., 2020).

How to overcome imposter syndrome?

Are you experiencing this situation? How to overcome imposter syndrome? We leave you 7 keys to achieve it:

1. Identify yourself with the syndrome (or not)

The first step will be to determine whether or not you identify with the syndrome. Do you really feel like you don’t value your successes? Or rather, do you attribute them to luck, chance or other variables, and not yourself?

It is crucial that analyze your personal situation, observe your internal dialogue and how you treat yourself. If you really feel that you could be suffering from it, you can move on to the next point.

2. Recognize your own emotions

Another step when overcoming imposter syndrome is to recognize your own emotions. Identify them, observe them, accept them and, above all, allow yourself to feel them.

Recognize that perhaps you are boycotting yourselfand that the fact of not recognizing your own abilities has a series of emotional effects: for example, frustration, sadness, helplessness…

3. Analyze where your achievements come from

Look at your achievements and ask yourself where they really come from. Have the courage to question your old beliefs, your fixed ideas… Does everything you have achieved really come from luck?

Try a probability exercise: What is the real chance that EVERYTHING you have achieved depends on luck? To what extent does luck influence your life and your achievements?

4. Recognize your merits

One of the central characteristics of imposter syndrome is believing that personal achievements are not deservedtherefore:

Identify in which cases it occurs and recognize that luck does not exist.Accept that the only thing that determines your successes or failures is the way you decide to take advantage of opportunities.

If you feel that what others recognize as your great achievement has no basis, do not get carried away. that feeling so that it does not increase like a snowball.

5. Observe your fears

Another key idea to overcome imposter syndrome is to analyze your own fears.. Ask yourself: what are you really afraid of? Of note? Of defrauding? Whom? To fail?

Many times, behind this fear of standing out, there is a fear of not being enough. And also behind that feeling of being an impostor of your own life.

6. Don’t compare yourself

Maybe when you were a child you were compared to your siblingscousins, relatives. Or at school with other children depending on grades or aptitudes. This is just another factor causing imposter syndrome. Try not to focus on others, but on yourself. Spend your time on what you can do so that your goals are met.

7. Take care of your internal dialogue

Internal dialogue is fundamental in our well-being and in the definition of our self-concept, as it reinforces previously established ideas, or leads us to others, and all of them have an impact on our emotions and behaviors.

Therefore, review your internal dialogue (what you tell yourself). How do you talk to yourself? Do you do it with love? What is the first thing you tell yourself when you achieve a goal?

Becoming aware of all this will help you little by little to overcome impostor syndrome, because you will begin to take care of your words towards yourself and understand what emotions they lead you to.

8. Accept yourself

It is not easy to accept yourself, because this implies knowing yourself and, sometimes, that is scary. That’s why it is necessary to cultivate self-knowledge and accept yourself, because the latter brings us closer to also accepting shortcomings and defects; to recognize them and become aware of them.

And what does this have to do with overcoming imposter syndrome? That to “overcome” characteristics that define us or ways of focusing or interpreting our experiences, It is important to accept that they are there. Because in this way we give them light and, in a certain way, we give them the opportunity to modify themselves, to change.

9. take small steps

Don’t focus on doing things perfectly, but rather, do things reasonably well and reward yourself for it. Focus on progress instead of aiming for perfection. Take the time to applaud yourself when you accomplish something positive in your life. This can help you internalize the success you have achieved.

How do I start working on imposter syndrome?

Do you think you suffer from imposter syndrome? When it comes to overcoming it, as we have seen, it will first be essential to discover if you really suffer from it. On the other hand, acceptance of emotions (and oneself) It is also essential here. Therefore, we encourage you to observe your emotions, your behaviors, and let yourself be guided by intuition.

And above all, start valuing yourself. You will see how, if you do it, little by little, you will remove this syndrome from your life and you will end up feeling like the protagonist (and deserving) of your own life, with all its lights and also its shadows.

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