Imposter Syndrome is Real
By Ethel Barnes
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter Syndrome is the feeling of self-doubt or the lack of one’s ability to create meaningful solutions due to poor self-confidence. There are two perspectives to this phenomenon. On one end, people who experience Imposter Syndrome attribute their success to external factors such as luck. The other perspective involves internalizing emotions in moments of failure. It represents a discrepancy between one’s own self-perception and the way others perceive an individual.
What Imposter Syndrome Feels Like
This phenomenon is important to understand because not only do feelings of Imposter Syndrome deter achievement, it can also get in the way of one’s happiness and well-being. Among those with Imposter Syndrome, common phrases include:
“I don’t deserve this”.
“Somebody made a mistake”.
“I feel unqualified”.
Critical self-reflection is healthy for professional and personal advancement, but it can become a problem when perceived inabilities are reinforced over minimal error. The result of such misperception overtime may trigger or exacerbate existing feelings of guilt, anxiety, or depression.
Feelings of Imposter Syndrome do not necessarily stem from one cause but from an array of factors. Potential underlying causes may include perfectionistic personality traits, existing mental health problems, or life changes such as new personal, career, or academic opportunities.
The Role of Bias
While anyone can experience feelings of Imposter Syndrome, extreme self-doubt tend to show up more among women of colour due to systemic oppression, gender bias, and stereotypes regarding competence. Imposter syndrome is also prevalent within institutional settings and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields where the underrepresentation of women and people of colour is high.
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome?
Psychological experts believe the best way to cope with Imposter Syndrome is to first identify and put your thoughts into perspective. This would allow one to challenge misperceptions about their capabilities.
Another method is to reframe one’s thoughts. What separates those who do not experience Imposter Syndrome from those who do is how effectively they approach complex situations. Creating networks of social support, talking to a trusted friend or mentor about distress are also strategies to help counter perceived inability and promote constructive criticism.