8 Tips to Overcome Imposter Syndrome & Unlock Creativity

If you ignore these warning signs of imposter syndrome, it can harm many aspects of your life. Learn how to overcome imposter syndrome and stop it from holding you back.

Do you ever feel nervous when receiving praise from your mentors or peers? Despite all your past achievements, do you feel incompetent and unprepared for the challenges ahead? Do you believe that your success was the result of luck rather than hard work? Do you ever feel like you are too stupid for the position you have and anxiously expect someone to walk up to you and say, “Hey! What are you doing here? You are not good enough!” If any of this sounds familiar, you might be suffering from imposter syndrome.

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

Impostor phenomenon, also known as fraud syndrome or imposter syndrome, is a situation in which highly skilled, successful people paradoxically believe they are frauds who will inevitably fail and be exposed as incompetent.

Clance and Imes’ 1978 study, which was the first to examine imposter syndrome, found that female college students who excelled academically frequently felt undeserving of their high marks and thought their accomplishments had come about by accident or mistake. Later studies revealed that this type of thought pattern is present in people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

It’s estimated that 7 out of 10 people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. Even famous people like Maya Angelou, Emma Watson and Albert Einstein himself have admitted feeling unworthy of their success and struggling to learn how to overcome imposter syndrome. 

Why Do We Feel Like Frauds?

Researchers have found that imposter syndrome affects people of all backgrounds. But there are some conditions that can make this kind of negative self-talk affect someone more frequently and powerfully.

Childhood. Parenting style can play an important role in the development of imposter syndrome in children. Children with strict and controlling parents—parents who highly value achievements or offer a low level of support—are more likely to experience imposter syndrome in the future.

New environment. Most of us feel uneasy when we’re new at work or at school. People are more likely to experience imposter syndrome when they are going through a transition or trying something new.

Personality. Certain personality types are more likely to struggle with imposter syndrome. These include perfectionists, neurotics, and people who tend to think of themselves as losers in social situations.

Do You Suffer From Imposter Syndrome?

If you occasionally doubt yourself or carefully evaluate your skills before beginning a new project, it does not necessarily mean you have imposter syndrome. Self-doubt is not always a bad thing. But if you ignore these negative thoughts, they can start holding you back from enjoying your life and unlocking your creativity. It’s important to learn how to overcome imposter syndrome even if you aren’t yet experiencing its harmful effects.

Here are some common signs of imposter syndrome:

• Undervaluing your competence and skills
• Perfectionism
• Attributing your success to external factors
• Discounting positive feedback
• Berating your performance
• Fear of not living up to expectations
• Sabotaging your own success
• Self-doubt

If this list made you think of your own behavior, try this quick imposter syndrome test from “The Impostor Phenomenon: When Success Makes You Feel Like A Fake” by Dr. Pauline Rose Clance. The higher you score, the more frequently and seriously imposter syndrome interferes with your life.

How Dangerous Is this Unreasonable Fear?

Imposter syndrome is not a mental disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, so why do we need to understand and overcome it? After all, most of us are taught to be humble from an early age. However, there is a great difference between being modest about your success and feeling unworthy of it. Knowing how to overcome imposter syndrome can help you unlock your potential.

Clance and Imes emphasized that a key element of imposter syndrome is the fear that “eventually some significant person will discover that they are indeed intellectual impostors.” This way of thinking may prevent you from getting a dream job or sharing your creative ideas. Even if you conquer your anxiety and set greater goals, imposter syndrome will keep you fighting your doubts rather than celebrating your success. On top of that, studies have shown that imposter syndrome can be linked to burnout and other mental health issues.

Learn how to avoid burnout and have a healthy work-life balance.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome

Here are eight tips to help you overcome imposter syndrome:

1. Accept your feelings

Stop fighting negative thoughts. Instead of ignoring imposter feelings, accept them and keep in mind that most people around you probably feel the same way. Once you acknowledge these feelings, you can start understanding the core beliefs that are causing them.

2. Keep a record

Are you feeling anxious and critical of yourself? Write it down! Try to separate your feelings from the facts that triggered them. Write down what happened step by step and how you felt about it. These records will help you identify situations in which your fear tends to kick in. You can conduct a little investigation and gather evidence that would prove your negative inner voice wrong. Did you actually do a good job despite feeling unworthy? Make a note so you can refer back to it if you find yourself in a similar situation again.

3. Assess your abilities

Try giving your abilities an honest evaluation if you notice yourself undervaluing them. Make a list with three columns and put your weakest skills in the first one. Write down your OK and good skills in the second and third columns, respectively. If you believe that you are falling short in some crucial areas, consider how you can do better and make a plan for learning new skills.

4. Remember your past successes

At the moment when you feel like an incompetent imposter, look for evidence in your past that can prove the opposite. Revisit your past accomplishments to remind yourself of your skills and abilities. Take your time and write down a list of your achievements, even if they don’t feel like much at the moment. It will come in handy in the future when you are drafting a CV or preparing for a job interview.

Make sure you don’t miss these signs of a toxic workplace while looking for a job.

5. Share your doubts

Talking about your experience with trusted peers and mentors can help you overcome imposter syndrome. Sharing such negative feelings can be very difficult. But it might give you a huge sense of comfort and belonging if you learn that someone you look up to is dealing with similar self-doubts. Even sharing your thoughts with a friend or relative outside of your professional field can help you better understand if your self-doubts are irrational.

Consider seeking professional counseling if you realize that imposter syndrome has a significant negative impact on your life.

6. Stop comparing

Comparing yourself to others can fuel your imposter syndrome. If you feel impressed by someone’s talents, instead of comparing yourself to that person, ask them to share more and focus on what you can learn from them.

7. Listen to feedback

When you’re just learning how to overcome imposter syndrome, positive comments may terrify you even more than critical feedback. But if multiple people are applauding you for your achievements, it makes sense to believe them and listen to their arguments. After all, what are the chances that all of them are wrong? 

8. Remember that no one is perfect

We can only see others from the outside and never know what is going on behind their seemingly perfect facade. Except that you have your own limitations because you are only human. And never forget that you have every right to enjoy your success to the fullest.

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