Are you dealing with Impostor Syndrome?

- April 15, 2021

The Impostor Syndrome

The term Impostor Syndrome was first used in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in their research paper "The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention", the term was defined as the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications wherein they theorized that women were uniquely affected by impostor syndrome.

Valerie Young, the author of the book The Secret Thoughts of a Successful Women, who is an expert in impostor syndrome has found patterns in behavior of people experiencing impostor feelings:

“Perfectionists” set extremely high expectations for themselves, and even if they meet 99% of their goals, they’re going to feel like failures. Any small mistake will make them question their own competence.
“Experts” feel the need to know every piece of information before they start a project and constantly look for new certifications or trainings to improve their skills. They won’t apply for a job if they don’t meet all the criteria in the posting, and they might be hesitant to ask a question in class or speak up in a meeting at work because they’re afraid of looking stupid if they don’t already know the answer.
When the “natural genius” has to struggle or work hard to accomplish something, he or she thinks this means they aren’t good enough. They are used to skills coming easily, and when they have to put in effort, their brain tells them that’s proof they’re an impostor.
“Soloists” feel they have to accomplish tasks on their own, and if they need to ask for help, they think that means they are a failure or a fraud.
“Supermen” or “superwomen” push themselves to work harder than those around them to prove that they’re not impostors. They feel the need to succeed in all aspects of life—at work, as parents, as partners—and may feel stressed when they are not accomplishing something.