Learning to overcome imposter syndrome requires practical strategies to address self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. Feeling like a fraud or an imposter is a psychological phenomenon many people experience. Unfortunately, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy: you feel unsure, doubt yourself, perform below your abilities, and then take that as proof that you are not good enough.
In this post, we will discuss why imposter syndrome persists and share ten practical strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome at work and university.
Why imposter syndrome persists
Ironically, imposter syndrome affects some of the world’s most successful people. While it seems counterintuitive that outwardly successful people might doubt themselves, an episode of The Mindset Mentor podcast, “This is What Imposter Syndrome Looks Like,” suggests that people focused on growth and achievement are very likely to experience imposter syndrome.
One reason for this is that imposter syndrome signals a cognitive disconnect between who you are now (your identity) and who you are becoming or want to be. Essentially, imposter syndrome reflects the experience of navigating uncertainty while wanting to grow and develop.
The concept of predictive processing
To explain further, the above podcast episode discusses the psychological concept of predictive processing, which describes how our brains constantly make predictions based on what we have already experienced. Therefore, if we have experienced failure in the past, we may fear experiencing it again and see it as inevitable, even in the face of contrary evidence. In other words, we are constantly questioning our reality, which can lead to imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome as an adaptive strategy
Ultimately, imposter syndrome is adaptive, and foundational research by Dr Pauline Rose Clance shows that it can stem from childhood experiences, such as:
- experiencing inconsistent praise
- feeling like achievement is expected but not celebrated.
Contemporary research by Wang et al. also examines a complex interplay among additional factors, which include:
- hierarchical work or academic institutional structures
- differing socio-economic backgrounds
- lack of inclusivity.
How imposter syndrome shows up in everyday life
To put imposter syndrome into context, here are some examples of how imposter syndrome can show up in everyday life at work, at university, or when experiencing burnout and stress.
Imposter syndrome at work
At work, imposter syndrome can manifest as feelings of isolation and fear about your performance or being good enough. Feeling uncertain about your competence can hold you back from getting involved in new projects, speaking up or pursuing a promotion, hampering your career progress and affecting your wellbeing.
Imposter syndrome at university
At university, especially at the graduate level, imposter syndrome can look like procrastination and falling behind on assignments or deadlines because you feel like your efforts won’t be good enough. Unfortunately, this can result in delays and poor academic performance, even when you have the necessary intellectual competence.
Imposter syndrome during burnout and stress
Unfortunately, when combined with imposter syndrome, burnout and stress can fuel a vicious cycle: people feel uncertain about their abilities and don’t perform well, which in turn increases stress. This increased stress can lead to burnout, making it critical to address imposter syndrome.
10 practical strategies for managing imposter syndrome
To share some general advice for dealing with imposter syndrome, here are ten practical strategies for dealing with this complex phenomenon:
1. Recognise your accomplishments
To avoid imposter syndrome and the anxiety of being “found out”, we must start to recognise our accomplishments and collect data that disproves our perceived incompetence.
One way to do this is to consolidate our accomplishments by writing down all the praise we have received and everything that we have achieved. In a work or academic environment, this can include testimonials from clients, positive feedback from supervisors, or a list of all your academic achievements.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others
In a digital world, getting a handle on your value can be challenging if you constantly compare yourself with others online. While it is challenging to constantly see the highlights of someone else’s life displayed on social media, it’s critical to remember that these are just that, the highlights, and not the whole picture.
As most people want to grow and evolve, it’s also likely that many of the people we compare ourselves to will also experience uncertainty and imposter syndrome at some point, too.
In a work or academic environment, avoiding comparison can involve creating your own list of values and goals, whether in your career or studies. You can regularly check in with these when you feel uncertain about your progress and how it compares to others. Keeping a record of your goals and what you have achieved can also help to remind you how far you have come!
3. Reframe negative self-talk
When we are navigating self-doubt, instead of beating ourselves up, we can embrace a beginner’s mindset. While our experience of performance anxiety might feel overwhelming, this phenomenon is actually about feeling like you don’t know enough, which means that you are growing and evolving and taking on new challenges (and not that you are incompetent).
4. Build supportive relationships
If you are experiencing anxiety and self-doubt in the workplace or at university, many of your colleagues and fellow students are likely feeling the same way. Therefore, an effective tool for coping with imposter syndrome is to collaborate and get real-time feedback. By doing so, you can gain perspective on your feelings and actual progress, rather than feeling isolated and stuck in negative thought patterns.
5. Learn to accept feedback
Imposter syndrome stems from feeling like we don’t know it all, but who does? When we embrace feedback, we can get more constructive insights into how we are actually performing and achieve our goals without feeling like we need to do everything alone.
6. Separate feelings from facts
As mentioned earlier, to overcome imposter syndrome, we need to collect data that disproves our feelings of incompetence. When it comes to our emotions, it is easy to become self-conscious when learning new skills. While emotions are valid, it’s important to know when your feelings of inadequacy stem from facts or your own perceptions. To address this, you can reach out to team members or academic staff to provide constructive feedback.
7. Develop a growth mindset
Embracing a growth mindset empowers you to see the opportunities that come with new projects, even when you don’t know everything. Although you don’t want to get stuck in “expert mode” and feel like you need endless knowledge to achieve, recognising where you can grow can be very valuable at both work and university.
8. Seek mentorship
To get support when you feel out of your depth, it’s crucial to build relationships with mentors who can guide you. We are all learning; even the most educated experts didn’t know everything about their chosen industry or field at some point in their careers. In other words, everyone has probably felt like an imposter at some stage, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
In the workplace and at university, this can involve working more closely with your manager, supervisor or other leaders to build confidence and get valuable feedback on your performance.
9. Set realistic standards
Since it is impossible to know everything in the workplace and academic environments, it’s important to set realistic goals and expectations. By clarifying our goals and how they relate to what we do at work and at university, we can create a clearer picture of what is actually important to us. By doing this, we can avoid feeling like we need to please everyone or live up to unrealistic standards.
10. Know when to seek professional support
While imposter syndrome may be common, it is essential to seek help if you perpetually feel like your performance anxiety is affecting your ability to go about your daily life. For accessible and affordable support, consult our list of mental health resources.
Learn more about how to overcome imposter syndrome
If you’re interested in learning more about how to stop imposter syndrome, SACAP Global offers the following courses, which focus on confidence, leadership, self-esteem, mindset and psychology:
- Enhancing Self-Esteem: Tools for Personal Empowerment
- Developing a Growth Mindset
- Coaching Skills for Managers
- Building Strong Relationships
- Stress Management and Building Resilience
For deeper psychological insight and those interested in pursuing a degree in this field, SACAP offers a range of degree programmes and qualifications in applied psychology.
FAQ:
1. How do I stop imposter syndrome?
Learning how to stop imposter syndrome involves several practical strategies, including recognising your accomplishments, not comparing yourself to others, reframing negative self-talk and building supportive relationships.
2. Can imposter syndrome go away?
Imposter syndrome is a complex phenomenon, but we can manage it using various practical strategies. However, context is critical, and if necessary, it’s crucial to consult with a mental health professional for support.
3. How do I build confidence at work?
Building confidence at work involves recognising your accomplishments and building supportive relationships so that you can receive constructive feedback, which can help you grow and evolve, and gain confidence in tackling challenging tasks.
4. How can students overcome imposter syndrome?
Students can overcome imposter syndrome by recognising their accomplishments and reframing negative self-talk. As imposter syndrome can be isolating, it’s also critical to connect with other students who may be experiencing similar doubts about their academic performance.
5. Is imposter syndrome connected to burnout?
Imposter syndrome and burnout can combine to fuel a vicious cycle: feeling like an imposter leads to stress, which in turn leads to burnout, which can impact performance and worsen feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt.
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