How to deal with imposter syndrome

Have you ever felt like a fraud? I know this feeling all too well. It appeared every time I was promoted or started a new job. It seemed that everyone around me was convinced I didn’t deserve the role, believing my previous success was due to luck rather than my skills and hard work. I worried that once I started on my new assignment, everyone would see that I was the worst person for the job. Sounds familiar?

This pervasive feeling is known as imposter syndrome, and it affects people from all walks of life. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a student, or someone just starting their career, understanding and overcoming imposter syndrome is crucial for personal and professional growth.

Understanding Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud." This can manifest in various ways, such as attributing success to external factors, downplaying achievements, and feeling unworthy of accolades. The impact can be profound, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and a reluctance to pursue new opportunities.

In my case, it manifested as an overwhelming desire to be liked by everyone and to constantly prove my competence. I found myself going out of my way to help others with their assignments, offering unsolicited education in their domain, and even taking on their tasks to "speed up the work." In reality, this was my way of saying, "Hey, look at me! I deserve my new role."

Recognize the Signs

As the saying goes, the first step in recovery is to understand that you are ill. So, let's explore the possible signs of this "illness":

Self-Doubt: Constantly questioning your abilities and fearing that others will find out you're not as competent as you appear.
Overachievement: Working excessively hard to prove your worth, often at the expense of your well-being.
Perfectionism: Setting impossibly high standards and feeling like a failure when they're not met.
Fear of Failure: Avoiding new challenges or opportunities due to a fear of not being good enough.
Fear of Negative Feedback: Dreading criticism and interpreting constructive feedback as confirmation of your perceived inadequacies.

Addressing Imposter Syndrome

If you discover these signs in your behavior, the first step is to calm down and accept it. Imposter syndrome is a common experience, especially in a new environment. Think of it like a fever when you have the flu; it's okay for a few days. However, if these signs persist in the long run, it's a point of concern. Here are some tactics that have helped me:

Celebrate Your Achievements: Keep a record of your accomplishments and review them regularly to remind yourself of your capabilities. If this feels insufficient, practice regular self-retrospectives. Every new year, I review my current state and set goals for the upcoming year. This way, I can look back and realize that what now seems like a minor achievement was once a significant goal.
Joe’s Story: Write down the most challenging cases that have happened to you recently, whether today, this week, or this month, and detail them as if telling a story. Provide all the necessary context so anyone can understand. Then, ask someone you trust for their perspective and compare their reaction with your initial one. I am grateful to have my wife as a patient listener for all my stories.
Social Proof: Join professional communities, prepare speeches for conferences, become a mentor, find a mentor, start a blog, or find other ways to share your experience outside of your department or company. I’ve tried all of these and found that blogging is a good daily practice, while conferences and mentorship provide a more significant boost, albeit requiring more time and energy.
Think of the Worst-Case Scenario: Imagine what would happen in the worst-case scenario. Plan your actions in detail for the next week or even month if it occurs. If you feel unprepared, spend some time preparing for it. Assess how far you are from this scenario at the moment, and then relax.

Conclusion

My mantra for overcoming imposter syndrome is: “To truly enjoy your work, you should be ready to leave it at any moment.” Every day I go to work, I do it because I want to, not because I have to.