I’m not qualified to write this article. I don’t have a degree in psychology hung upon the wall, or an illustrious career as a life coach, and I certainly haven’t won any awards for some groundbreaking research on imposter syndrome. Even if I had, my acceptance speech would probably put it all down to luck.
Instead, I’m armed with an almost completed degree in journalism, a laptop on its last legs, and a lifetime of feeling like a fraud. Believe me, the irony of feeling unqualified to speak about imposter syndrome isn’t lost on me. As a seasoned sufferer of feeling like a phony, I’m very aware that most of these thoughts are irrational. Your brain can be a hard one to escape, however.
I’m not sure when my old friend imposter syndrome first stepped on the scene. Maybe it was the numerous high school tests I was sure I had failed, just to see I’d passed with flying colours. Or when I was accepted into a prestigious university course, certain that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with my peers. For a long time, I let these feelings win. I’d catch myself downplaying my achievements in social settings, self-rejecting amazing opportunities, and even switching university courses. I was like a Scooby-Doo villain, running as fast as I could from opportunities that came my way before I could be unmasked as a God forbid, failure.
It wasn’t until I began talking to people in my life about these nagging feelings that I learned many other young women felt this way too. Women who I saw as intelligent, capable, and independent. It would’ve been easy to brush off their feelings and tell them it was just in their heads – that the picture they had of themselves didn’t reflect what I saw. The journalist inside me, however, had to get to the bottom of this.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome doesn’t discriminate. Anyone from fresh-faced graduates to high-powered executives can find themselves battling with these feelings. These anxieties and feelings of self-doubt are rarely rooted in truth either, with high achievers and former ‘gifted’ children particularly susceptible to developing imposter syndrome. For many that fit into this category, growing up and finding yourself having to put effort in to succeed for the first time can leave you feeling like a failure, or like you’ve missed out on some secret handbook to adulting. For others, imposter syndrome is a result of social pressures and feelings of exclusion. Belonging to an environment that values achievement highly, even at the expense of emotional wellbeing, can be detrimental to a person’s feelings of self-worth. Struggling to belong in a group where you feel different from the majority can also bring these feelings to the surface. The fact of the matter is these thoughts of inadequacy that stem from imposter syndrome aren’t always rational or justified by your actual achievements. Yet, their impact can be paralysing.
Why Are Women Disproportionately Affected?
While imposter syndrome can be a universal monster, research indicates that women suffer from the condition at a higher rate than men. A study by KPMG revealed that women aren’t alone in their feelings, with three-quarters of female executives having experienced imposter syndrome during their careers. Much of this gendered gap can be attributed to gender bias, which can cause women to be mistreated or ignored in corporate environments. This bias, whether implicit or explicit, can feel as though it has reaffirmed our internal feelings about our worthiness in the workplace, leading to cognitive distortions like imposter syndrome that make us feel negatively about ourselves.
56% of executive women indicated that external factors contributed to them feeling unable to live up to expectations. These feelings can be harmful to career opportunities, making women less likely to put themselves forward for jobs or promotions. According to a report by Hewlett Packard, men will apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications whereas women will feel they need to meet 100% before they apply. Women with imposter syndrome are also at risk of burnout, often overworking themselves to the point of exhaustion in an effort to hide their perceived shortcomings.
Five Steps to Overcome Feeling Like a Fraud
As someone who has done the hard yards in battling imposter syndrome, I’m here to tell you that there is no magical cure. Overcoming imposter syndrome is not a linear journey, but there is a way forward.
1. Recognise and Understand Your Feelings
The first step to tackling any problem is to face it head-on. It’s important to acknowledge that these thoughts of inadequacy and self-doubt do not reflect your reality. By understanding these thoughts, you can take away their power over how you feel.
2. Reframe Your Negative Thoughts
Your harshest critic is yourself. When those negative thoughts come creeping back in, a simple yet transformative question to ask yourself is, “Is this something I would ever say to a friend?”. If your answer is no, chances are that this thought stems from a place of self-criticism and is only meant to be hurtful. We often hold ourselves to impossibly high standards, yet don’t allow ourselves the same compassion and encouragement that we would give to others around us. Reframe these harmful thoughts by examining ways that these thoughts are false and actively choose to focus on an upside or opportunity instead.
3. Celebrate Your Successes
It’s so easy to lose track of your achievements when you are constantly moving the goalposts. Instead of immediately chasing your next goal, allow yourself some time to celebrate and reflect on your successes as they happen. Keep track of your wins in a journal, no matter how big or small, and look back on these whenever self-doubt rears its ugly head. Most importantly, don’t mistake your hard work for luck.
4. Seek Mentorship and Support Networks
Remember that you don’t have to navigate this alone. Many people struggle with feeling like an imposter in in their personal and professional lives, even if this doesn’t outwardly show. Connecting with other women who may share similar experiences can be a powerful reassurance and help to lay the foundations for greater self-confidence. Seek out these connections by joining professional networks and mentorship programs, or simply starting the conversation with trusted friends and colleagues about how you’re feeling. You’ll be surprised how many can empathise with you!
5. Advocate for Yourself in the Workplace
For sufferers of imposter syndrome, the excessive humility and self-doubt that arises can greatly impact career progression. For far too long, women have been socially conditioned to be humble and polite. When this social programming is compounded by imposter syndrome, women may find it hard to muster the assertiveness needed to advocate for themselves. Remember that your contributions are valuable and put this into practice by taking credit where credit is due, expressing your expertise, or putting yourself forward for that new job or promotion.
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