Have you ever thought people were going to find out you weren't as skilled as they thought? Then you probably are affected by impostor syndrome. The phenomenon affects high-achieving individuals who believe they either got lucky, fooled everyone else, or simply had the right timing.
The impostor syndrome makes people feel they aren’t as intelligent and competent as they really are. The good news is that it is possible to overcome the problem.
Self-motivation might help in the sort-term, but not in the long run. Here are some steps you can take to overcome impostor syndrome.
Focus on the value you bring to the table. Don't worry about the importance of your work, the people it affects, or what could go wrong.
Accept that everyone has flaws. You must reset your standards to a realistic level. It is rarely helpful to compare yourself to others because you see yourself from the inside, while you see others from the outside—a carefully edited version of themselves.
Own your successes. Whether the result of luck or personal ability, your successes are yours.
Risk it. Take a leap of faith. It takes courage to risk failure and humiliation but, as Oscar Wilde puts it:
“There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
Recognize that everybody messes up. Michel de Montaigne, one of the most influential philosophers of the French Renaissance, argued that everybody, including kings and queens, mess up. We must stop focusing on credentials: even CEOs fail.
Recognize that you don't know everything and exposure gives you the opportunity to identify and fix your flaws. Your clients don't want perfection, but they do what you to do something they are unable to do. So give them the best possible service you can.
When possible, ask others why you were chosen for a given task. The answer will, almost certainly, motivate you and help build your confidence.
Remember that fear just means you are aware of how much you can improve. Successful author Steve Pressfield once said:
“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome”.
Want to learn more? Check out these articles.
- Overcome Impostor Syndrome (Hacked)
- What is Impostor Syndrome (Scientific American)
- Impostor Syndrome (Wikipedia)
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