What would it be like to hear someone tell you that you are not proficient at what you do; that you do not deserve the credentials, position, success, or accolades that you have; and that your inabilities will be recognized and you will be exposed as a fraud?That would obviously make you feel terrible!
Worse still, if that voice was in your own head!
That’s IMPOSTOR SYNDROME!
The far-reaching tentacles
‘Impostor Phenomenon’ is a term coined by psychologists, Dr. Pauline Rose Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes, way back in 1974. They described it as a psychological state in which those inflicted are convinced that their achievements are undeserved and live in the constant fear that their fraudulence will be exposed!
The cream of the society—successful, accomplished people, with many demonstrable wins often fall prey to this condition. People from diverse economic and social backgrounds, different professions—artists, writers, medical professionals, students, lawyers, entrepreneurs, at different levels in their respective careers; impostor syndrome spares no one!
The fight within
Those inflicted by impostor syndrome firmly believe that they have somehow managed to trick everyone into crediting them for skills and talents that they don’t actually have. This causes them to perpetually worry that they will not be able to prove themselves when required. They feel like ‘impostors’—that’s where the term originated from.
There is a constant struggle to prove themselves wrong by doing everything required to ensure success, excellence, and recognition. The struggle is upstream and difficult since these ‘impostors’ want to believe in their success, although the psychological state prevents them from doing that very thing!
You are not alone, not a chance!
These feelings and thoughts of being an impostor are regarded as secrets and the affected people tend to think that they are in a unique situation. They are embarrassed of their plight and may even end up isolating themselves or not socializing out of the fear that the world might get a peek at the skeletons in their closet!
Knowing that a vast majority of very successful people in the world—maybe even their role model or inspiration, experience the impostor phenomenon can give the inflicted people courage to face the demon within. It might even be empowering to know that the thoughts and feelings that they have been experiencing are not abstract; they are very much tangible and actually have been researched—there is even a name for it!
Credit: IsabellaMont/ Own work/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
Is it really imposter syndrome?
Being a perfectionist, feeling unsure about your success, or even getting awkward when complimented does not necessarily mean that you are experiencing the impostor phenomenon! In fact, people
actually experiencing impostor phenomenon, are most often unable to recognize the syndrome since they are convinced of their shortcomings and are unlikely to attribute their thoughts to some psychological state!
Although the suffix ‘syndrome’ may lend a pathological ring to the thoughts and feelings of those experiencing the impostor phenomenon, it isn’t damaging or destructive in the least! Having said that, impostor syndrome definitely interferes with the ability to believe in one’s own strengths, keeps one from reveling in success, and burdens the person with perpetual anxiety and doubt.
Credit: Máirín/ Own work/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en
The perils
Impostor syndrome is often guilty of causing people to restrict themselves from achieving their full potential, curb their aspirations and goals, prevent broadening their horizons, and remain tethered to levels below their well-deserved ones. The fatigue of living with all the doubts, worries, fears, and anxiety often drives them to want to break free of the constraints of impostor syndrome—to finally be able to have the confidence to face the world and stand up for themselves, to gain a clear-sighted picture of their strengths, be able to own their achievements, and celebrate their successes.
Comments