Imposter Syndrome: The Basics and How to Get Past It
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? Do you doubt that you deserve what you have? Do you ever…
belittle your accomplishments?
attribute your success to luck or to someone else?
feel like a fraud?
feel incompetent?
feel stuck?
feel like you don’t know enough?
struggle with perfectionism?
fear failure?
self-sabotage?
If any of these sound like you, then you may be struggling with imposter syndrome. This is not a formal disorder but a pattern of negative thinking. It leads to self-doubt, negative self-talk, missed opportunities, and burnout.
But all hope is not lost! Check out the strategies below for some ways to overcome that doubting voice in your head.
Assess inner dialogue.
Have a chat with your inner voice, noting especially when it can be negative and how it makes you feel. Work through the following questions:
What am I telling myself about my abilities and shortcomings?
How does minimizing my own accomplishments help or hinder me?
How do these thoughts make me feel?
What would I tell a friend if they were having similar thoughts?
Once you understand your negative thoughts, try rebalancing them. What is a healthier way to look at your abilities and shortcomings? For example, instead of “I am a failure at my job,” try, “I am good at some parts of my job, and I am still learning to do better at others.”
Bring your successes into your awareness.
Take some time to congratulate yourself for your accomplishments. Avoid minimizing them or attributing them to things outside your control. Take ownership of what you’ve achieved. Celebrate!
Consider:
When was the last time I was proud of myself or my work?
When was the last time someone else congratulated or praised me? How did I respond?
How can I remind myself of my past accomplishments? (Consider printing off tasks or creating visual reminders of your successes.)
Accept the things you can’t control.
Many people with imposter syndrome struggle with the fact that they can’t be good at everything. But this is reality: there are some things you are better at and some things you are worse at. Accepting this truth will help you to overcome your feelings of self-doubt.
Celebrate your accomplishments, but don’t beat yourself up for the things you wanted to do better. You’re not perfect—you’re human.
Separate feelings from facts.
You may feel like a fraud or incompetent or like you don’t know enough. That doesn’t mean these feelings are true. Learn to separate your feelings from the facts and remind yourself that a real imposter would not be so self-critical.
Consider:
What emotions am I experiencing that make me feel inadequate?
What do these emotions tell me about my abilities?
What are the facts that support my negative thoughts?
What are the facts that disprove my negative thoughts?
For more support on challenging your distorted thoughts, check out my blog post on cognitive distortions here.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
Everyone has their stuff—their own set of unique strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. If you are unfairly comparing yourself to others, it may be because you do not have all the facts of their situation. We may only see the successes of our peers, without seeing their failures.
Ask yourself:
Am I fairly comparing myself to others?
What aspects of other people’s situations am I not considering?
How would I feel if my peers were saying the same negative things to themselves that I am saying to myself?
More Help
Consider reaching out one of our therapists today to find out more ways to challenge your imposter syndrome. Be confident in who you are!
Still looking for more tips? Try watching this fantastic TED Talk by Valerie Young: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7v-GG3SEWQ
