You can’t do it. You’re not good enough. You are a fraud. You’ll embarrass yourself.
No one takes you seriously. No one cares what you have to say. No one finds you interesting/helpful/knowledgeable/skilled.
Sound familiar? That’s imposter syndrome talking. Imposter syndrome is something that I am all too familiar with. It’s something that many people are very familiar with, even if they don’t realize it. It’s that thought that you don’t know enough or haven’t learned enough or aren’t good enough. Noticing a theme? You are not enough.
This voice has blared in my mind throughout my life. As a competitive athlete, I somehow never saw myself the way my coaches, teammates, family, and friends saw me. I didn’t feel deserving of various awards I received or the Duke lacrosse jersey I put on for four years in college. I thought that someone was doing me a favor and placing me on the team despite my apparent lack of skill.
These thoughts plagued me and hammered away at my self-concept. I felt unworthy, undeserving, and not enough. What blew my mind was hearing that so many other people in my life felt the same way. People who I thought had it all together, appeared self-assured on the outside, and were so skilled and talented. In fact, some of the most successful people struggle deeply with imposter syndrome. Take a look:
Sharyl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, wrote “And every time I didn’t embarrass myself -- or even excelled -- I believed that I had fooled everyone yet again. One day soon, the jig would be up.”
Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court Justice, stated, “I have spent my years since Princeton, while at law school and in my various professional jobs, not feeling completely a part of the worlds I inhabit. I am always looking over my shoulder wondering if I measure up.”
In an interview, Tom Hanks shared, “No matter what we've done, there comes a point where you think, 'How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?'”
Okay, so…maybe I’m not a fraud if these people think they’re frauds and they are clearly NOT frauds. Hmm interesting.
More research on imposter syndrome explains why this is. People who struggle with these thoughts tend to be determined and motivated to excel. The imposter syndrome within them drives them to never stop learning, training, researching, and growing. Pretty neat…except for the fact that self-deprecation, self-criticizing, and self-doubt are often part of the picture.
It’s also important to consider the context of imposter syndrome…the environment. There is likely something about the environment you inhabit that contributes to imposter syndrome. For women, it could be the never-ending battle of shattering the glass ceiling. For racial and ethnic minorities, it could be the constant battle against systemic racism. Fighting against stereotypes and bias often leads to feelings of insecurities and self-doubt. Important! Imposter syndrome is not solely about the individual. Organizations and industries should recognize the role they play in reinforcing imposter thoughts and do their part by challenging societal norms and stereotypes and by providing a culture that values inclusivity and belonging.
On an individual level, when we hear these insecurities rolling around in our minds, we can take a step back and flip the script. We recognize that these thoughts do not define us. In fact, they are rooted in the struggle we face in overcoming systemic barriers. Naming this can help loosen the grip on these thoughts by fostering self-compassion. Also, remember that these thoughts often represent our drive, motivation, and passion, which can be a slippery slope to self-criticism and self-doubt. So, in order to disentangle from them, we can label these thoughts as imposter thoughts and practice viewing ourselves the way a good friend or colleague would, reminding ourselves that we are worthy and we deserve to be here.
