Have you ever found yourself in a position at your company and wonder if you deserve the role that you’re in? Many people have felt the same way and a good way to look at it is that you’re not alone. People have felt it after being with a company for a few weeks, while others may feel it over a number of years. What is being described here is called the “imposter syndrome.” The imposter syndrome was something first discovered back in 1978, which describes the feeling that you’ve achieved the role that you’re in out of luck, rather than through your hard work, natural talent, and abilities.
In this article, we will talk more about the different ways people exhibit this syndrome, and how it can be combated moving forward.
The ‘perfectionist’
This group takes on responsibilities with the notion of completing it at 110% or won’t do it at all. They may take on tasks with extremely high goals in mind as well. These people exhibit high levels of anxiety, self-doubt, and constant worry. They will also focus a lot on the areas that they could’ve done better rather than all the success that came out of it.
The ‘genius’
These people usually find themselves with a knack at mastering many skills with ease. Although, there are times where these people realize that being a genius in everything isn’t possible, and feel high levels of shame when faced with a task that even for them is too hard to complete. It is important to teach yourself that people aren’t perfect, and everyone faces struggles like this from time to time.
The ‘expert’
This type of person will not feel completely satisfied when finishing a task unless they know everything about that subject matter. The amount of time spent learning the task or topic at hand can make it very difficult to reach deadlines. They will also avoid taking initiative to take on new tasks that they feel are somewhat above their guaranteed level of experience with fear that they will do a bad job.
The ‘superhero’
These are people who will constantly push themselves to their breaking point to prove to themselves that they aren’t “imposters” and belong where they are. The feeling of success and affirmation from others is the only way that they feel that they are doing a good job. Without it, they start to feel stressed and overthink that they aren’t performing to the best levels. This can overall lead to burnout and affect their relationships with their colleagues.
The ‘soloist’
This group of people feel that they cannot ask others for help or ask questions in fear that they will reveal a level of incompetence and overall prove to others that they in fact don’t belong in their current role. They may often turn down help as a way of proving to others that they are confident in their own abilities. These people may find themselves not completing their tasks successfully, when in reality receiving some help earlier on in a project would have avoided this.
Overcoming the imposter syndrome
Although there is currently no official treatment for this, there are still ways that people can manage these overwhelming feelings of self doubt and inadequacy through awareness and communication. Talking it through with friends, family, or colleagues can help. Chances are, these people have experienced these same emotions, which can help you to put things into perspective. The difficulty as well can come from not appreciating one’s own success. Every now and then, it is especially important to take a step back from your tasks, take a breath, and reflect on what has been done and realize all the great things you have accomplished, no matter how big or small they may seem.
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