Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Serving you research-backed exercises that help you combat Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome is considered a recurring emotional experience where people believe they are a fraud and attribute their success to luck or because they tricked others into thinking that they are worthy. It mostly afflicts high achieving people, such as the great activist, poet and author Maya Angelou, who find it difficult to accept their own accomplishments.
“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.”
-Maya Angelou
Here are some concrete actions you can take to combat imposter syndrome:
Start an Accomplishments Journal. Include things you've learned, ideas you've had, outcomes you've driven, and people whose lives are better because of you. Keep tangible evidence of your accomplishments- “thank you” notes, testimonials, and compliments to reinforce the belief that your own skills and abilities, not just luck, lead to results. (Related Source)
Develop a new script. Notice the narrative going on in your head when a situation triggers your imposter feelings, such as presenting in front of your leadership team. Maybe it's “They're going to find out I have no idea what I’m doing." Ahead of your presentation, find an empowering anchor thought such as “Everyone here is brilliant – I’m really going to learn a lot from their feedback!” Learn more about the power of anchor thoughts from Mel Robbins here.
Journal about your personal values. It turns out that writing about your personal values is one of the most effective activities ever studied. It makes people feel more powerful, in control, proud, and strong. It increases pain tolerance, enhances self-control, reduces cortisol and unhelpful rumination after a stressful experience. Try writing for 15 minutes about one of your core values right before a potentially stressful, imposter syndrome-inducing moment! (Related Source)
Embrace a Growth Mindset. Figure out a few ways to get more comfortable w/new challenges and not being good. . .yet. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.
Strike a power pose for 2 minutes. According to Amy Cuddy, taking up more physical space with your body before a moment that may trigger imposter syndrome will quiet your sympathetic nervous system, reduce cortisol, increase testosterone and thereby allow you to exude confidence and calm.
Make a realistic assessment of your abilities. Write down the things you're truly good at and the areas that might need work. Of the areas that need improvement, which ones do you want to commit to developing? What matters to you about them? Identifying your weakness and eliminating the ones that don't matter to you will allow you to spend your precious time and energy focusing on the areas that you truly want to invest in. We can't be an expert in everything!
Visualize Success. Next time you have an intimidating situation coming up, visualize yourself delivering your pitch in a confident manner, imagine exactly how you will respond to an unforeseen challenge and how you want to feel when it’s all done. Be clear with yourself about what you can and cannot control!
Stop comparing yourself to others. Soak in and celebrate all that you are and have achieved instead of comparing your life to a carefully curated influencer’s social media feed. Otherwise, you wind up comparing your bloopers to their highlight reel.
Separate the story you’re telling yourself from the facts. There are times you’ll feel ill-equipped to do your job. It happens to all of us. Realize that just because you may feel mediocre at your job, it doesn’t mean you are. Separate the feelings you’re having from the facts.
Personal Reflection Prompt:
If a younger me could see my life now, what would they be proud of?
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