Imposter Syndrome
I’m sure we’ve all had it. That little voice in your head that whispers, “You can’t do this! You don’t belong here!” Sadly I know that feeling all too well!!
That little devil on my shoulder just loves to pop up at the most inopportune moments.
Sneaky feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy, despite all the evidence of my achievements and ability.
Jumping in and making me feel like I’m just pretending to be successful, and someone will walk in any minute and tell me there’s been a mistake.
The reality is, imposter syndrome is likely to impact so many of us, even those high fliers who seemingly have it all together.
Studies show 70% of people experience imposter feelings at some point in their lives.
So if you’ve suffered with these feelings, You are in great company!
But how do we deal with it? Here are some ways I’ve found helpful for me and my clients:
Scratch that, start by recognising them in the first place!
1. Spend time celebrating your achievements
If you’re anything like me, as soon as you achieve something you can be on to the next thing without much thought, but pleeeease – celebrate your successes and remind yourself of all the hard work and effort you’ve put in to get to where you are today. Often others won’t pat us on the back – so congratulate yourself and remember all that hard work.
2. Banish negative self-talk
This is an ongoing battle, but one of the biggest game changers for me has been working on how I speak to myself. Next time that voice in your head puts you down – challenge it with something positive. A favourite of mine is “I am doing my best”.
3. Keep learning!
One thing I’ve noticed about imposter syndrome is, it can come with feelings that I should be “perfect” or “know it all” on whatever topic.
The thing is, no-one knows everything! So remembering that no-one is perfect and we are all learning and growing – so embrace opportunities to learn and develop – you are only human!
4. Be vulnerable
Opening up and talking about my feelings with people I trust really helps me deal with imposter syndrome. It’s always comforting to know others have experienced it too, and people normally have great words of encouragement!
5. Know that we all make mistakes
We are all human, and all make mistakes. That’s it!
6. Take small steps
Taking big leaps outside of where you’re comfortable is often where imposter syndrome thrives. Easing yourself in gently is the best way to avoid it, breaking down the big thing you want to achieve into smaller steps.
If you want to know more about how I help clients deal with issues like imposter syndrome, you can book a call with me here.
