Faster, Higher, More Expert: How To Use The Imposter Syndrome For Good
Imposter Syndrome
If you think that you are not competent enough for your position, do not recognize merit, and are afraid of being exposed, welcome to the “imposters” club. We understand the features of the syndrome and how to benefit from it
“I’m here by accident”
People with impostor syndrome cannot adequately assess themselves as a specialist, it seems to them that their success is just a combination of favorable circumstances, but not the result of their work. The carriers of the syndrome do not consider their competencies important, while the rest seem to them to be real experts. “Imposters” live and work with the feeling that they are not worthy of the place they occupy, and are afraid that sooner or later they will be brought to clean water.
According to the International Journal of Behavioral Science, 70% of people on the planet suffer from impostor syndrome. Among them are celebrities and specialists whose talent and professionalism do not cause us doubts, but they themselves are sure of the opposite. For example, the writer Neil Gaiman, after publishing several of his books, was tormented by nightmares about his own exposure. Actress Natalie Portman, after entering Harvard, considered her enrollment a mistake and worried that she was not smart enough for a student at such a prestigious university. Even years after graduation, the actress continues to doubt her abilities.
An impostor or an unrecognized genius: how to soberly assess your expertise
Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is not a psychiatric diagnosis, nor is it a normal manifestation of healthy self-criticism. Psychotherapist Polina Tsvetkova explains the difference.
Polina Tsvetkova completed the training program for Gestalt therapists at the St. Petersburg Institute of Gestalt, certified by EAGT and FORGE:
“Imposters” have an obsessive thought about the lack of their abilities, as a rule, intellectual and professional. They are prone to perfectionism, trying to bring everything to perfection. They develop high levels of anxiety because of the thoughts of “exposure”. Often depressive tendencies develop because of the inability to meet their own requirements. Healthy self-criticism evaluates only skills and results, without affecting the personality. With the “imposter”, any shortcoming extends to him as a professional as a whole. This is accompanied by the confidence that someone around will notice this and indicate that he is not an expert at all.
What are impostors and what do they suffer from?
Imposter Syndrome
Angelica Harahash, a psychotherapist at Zigmund.Online, an online psychotherapy service, says that there is a whole classification of people prone to impostor syndrome. This division was first proposed by Valerie Young, an expert in behavioral psychology.
“Perfectionists”. Those people who set themselves unrealistic goals, and having completed them even by 99%, feel like failures. Any mistake undermines their confidence in their own competence.
“Experts”. People who are constantly learning try to get too much information to get started on a project, but they usually don’t know enough anyway.
“Natural geniuses”. Such people are used to the fact that in childhood everything was easy for them, but in adulthood – at university or at work – they face more serious tasks and the same smart peers. Thus, faith in one’s own abilities is undermined.
“Individualists (soloists)”. Such people believe that they are obliged to do everything themselves, without outside help, which they perceive as a manifestation of their own lack of independence.
“Superman/Superwoman”. These people work harder than others, take on all possible tasks, try to succeed in all areas of life in order to prove their professional level.
A person with “Imposter Syndrome” is constantly under stress. He wants to achieve unrealistic goals, is afraid of making mistakes, and is terrified of potential exposure.
Angelica Harahash:
“Constant internal tension pushes a person into two paths. The first is when he makes excessive efforts and works too hard to prove himself. This leads to exhaustion and emotional and professional burnout. The second way is procrastination. Due to anxiety and perfectionism, a person can put off decisions and actions until later or do work carelessly. Of course, this is not the whole list of the consequences of the impostor syndrome, it can also include the rejection of opportunities, problems in interpersonal relationships, depression, and the development of anxiety disorders.
Imposter Syndrome As Motivation To Be Better
It may seem that impostor syndrome only hinders work, career advancement, and successful life in general. This is not entirely true. Basima Tevfik, an employee of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, proved that impostor syndrome does not affect employee productivity in any way and even motivates them to work better.
The researcher found that supervisors rate employees with symptoms of the syndrome as effective and competent workers. Patients of doctors who also reported problems with self-esteem noticed that they worked efficiently, asked a lot of questions, and were generally more conscientious and responsible than their colleagues who were confident in their expertise. Basima notes that impostor syndrome is a complex phenomenon that can lead to both pathological problems and professional development.
Polina Tsvetkova:
“Imposters” initially set a high bar for themselves, and therefore their results are good. Such people have the makings of leadership, and if they deal with the fear of responsibility for mistakes and failures, they can build a good career. Often, the owners of the impostor syndrome are quite charming and sociable, and because of self-doubt, they learn a lot, develop and have high performance. But because the “imposters” focus on maintaining the image of a cool professional, they forget about the goals of the team and compete with its members. Managers with the syndrome may have difficulty delegating. All this leads to a high risk of burnout.
The main advantage of the impostor syndrome lies in the fact that in the pursuit of reaching new horizons – the eternal proof of professionalism – a person progresses. But with promotions and new awards, anxiety and stress will not go anywhere if you leave everything as it is and never recognize yourself as a professional.
How to tame the syndrome
Imposter Syndrome
Work on overcoming the syndrome takes time, and it is better to immediately contact a psychologist or psychotherapist. It will not be superfluous to try some tricks on your own that will help you become more confident in your skills. Psychologists give the following recommendations:
Recognize the problem. Ask yourself questions: what is the manifestation of impostor syndrome in me? What thoughts come up at this moment? What emotions arise? Watch for systematic manifestations of the syndrome. Write down your fears of anxiety.
Trust the opinions of others. Write down positive feedback from others and how you respond to it. Try to replace the devaluation of such comments with the appropriation of merit: “Yes, it is.”
Rejoice in your achievements. Come up with little rituals to celebrate your accomplishments or symbols that accompany each of your victories. Get a notebook where you will write down what you are good at today, what task you have solved, and what you have learned. Hang paper stars on the wall, and buy your favorite things or cakes as a reward. Assign a positive result: “I was able / was able to do it.” Material symbols are harder to devalue
Allow yourself a success. Fear of success is often associated with childhood experiences of criticism and judgment. Imagine that you, rejoicing in your achievements, stars and cakes, would be seen by others. Ask yourself: what would people say about you? Where do these words come from? When did you first hear them? Separate reality and memories. Remind yourself that you are no longer that kid, but a mature person, a professional.
Accept that there is no ideal. And if it exists, it is not always achievable. This is neither good nor bad, it’s just a fact. It is much more important to shift your priorities from achieving the ideal to solving real specific problems, based on your capabilities and the context in which you are.
Stop thinking in terms of either/or. “Either I am either an expert or an impostor” – you don’t need to do this. Start evaluating yourself in a grading way.
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