Imposter Syndrome Defined and Symptoms

 Imposter Syndrome Defined and Symptoms

You really need to understand imposter syndrome so that you can confirm whether you are experiencing it or not. Everyone feels like an imposter sometimes and this is pretty natural. In this article, we will provide a definition of imposter syndrome and discuss some of the most common symptoms. As you scroll down our blog, you will find the entire series that defines they types of imposters, ways to overcome those negative feelings and how to keep them at bay. Enjoy!

What exactly is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is where you are regularly experiencing thoughts and feelings that you are a fraud. Please note the word “regularly” here. Experiencing these thoughts now and again is not imposter syndrome.

A person that experiences imposter syndrome will believe that they do not deserve to be where they are. This can be in a specific job position and even owning a business. Imposter syndrome can also arise in your personal life. You may feel that you do not deserve your spouse or your family for example.

When you experience imposter syndrome you are going to feel a lot more anxious than usual. You can become terrified that you will be found out as an imposter and that the consequences will be dire. Some people that suffer from imposter syndrome feel like their whole world is imploding.

There is a link to your Emotions with Imposter Syndrome

If you are experiencing imposter syndrome then this will make you feel lousy. It will change your state of mind and you can experience all kinds of negative emotions. Feeling like a fraud all of the time is not going to be pleasant.

Imposter Syndrome is Always Likely

The truth is that there are many people that are experiencing imposter syndrome right now. Experts predict that as many as 70% of the population will suffer from imposter syndrome at one point in their life. It is possible to experience it more than once.

Self-Doubt Caused by Imposter Syndrome

One of the most common symptoms with imposter syndrome is an increase in self-doubt. If you have noticed that your self-esteem has really tanked recently, this could be due to thinking that you are an imposter.

Perfectionist Tendencies

A lot of people that experience imposter syndrome start to develop perfectionist tendencies. The reason for this is likely to be that they feel they need to do everything perfectly to prove to others that they are not an imposter. Perfectionism has a lot of drawbacks. Nobody and nothing in life is perfect.

Perform Better than Others

Another symptom of imposter syndrome is the desire to always perform better than other people. Again, we believe that the rationale behind this is the need to prove that you are not a fraud. People suffering from imposter syndrome often work a lot harder than others to ensure that they are seen to be the top performer.

Imposter Syndrome can Result in Self-Sabotage

People that regularly experience feelings of being an imposter are more prone to self-sabotage. They may be progressing really well and then suddenly do something to undo all of their good work. The reason for this is that they probably have a self-confidence crisis and think that they are not good enough.

Unable to Accept Compliments

If you are experiencing imposter syndrome you may find it tough to accept compliments from others. You do not feel like you are worthy, so any compliments received can be ignored because you believe that people are just feeling sorry for you.

 

The Five Types Of Imposters

One of the most influential people in the world of imposter syndrome is Dr Valerie Young. She has written a book on the subject which is based on here research. As a result of her research, Dr Young has also identified five distinct types of imposters. This is important for you to know as it can help you to overcome imposter syndrome.

1. The Perfectionist Imposter

Some people that experience regular feelings of being a fraud will develop perfectionist tendencies. They start to believe that they need to provide proof to others that they are not an imposter and doing everything perfectly is the best way to do this.

But nothing and nobody is perfect in this world so this is doomed to failure from the start. When you are a perfectionist, it will take you a lot longer to complete anything – that’s if you can complete anything at all.

Perfectionists tend to go over their work time and time again and make tweaks to it each time in the name of perfection.  It is always likely that a perfectionist will have many unfinished tasks because they are not satisfied with the quality of the work they have done.

2. The Superhero Imposter

The superhero imposter is never too busy to take on more work. They are an overachiever and it is a way for them to prove that they are not a fraud. As a superhero imposter, you will work much longer hours than your colleagues. When you do finally go home, you will probably take some work with you.

It is rare for a superhero to take a day off because this has no meaning to them. They have trouble focusing on one thing at a time and become a jack of all trades. A superhero is a juggler that always has a lot of balls in the air.

3. The Natural Genius Imposter

This is a person that will be very good at one thing and distinctly average at everything else. They will be well-known for their specific talent and people will usually give them problems to solve in this area. But others will never learn anything from a natural genius imposter. This is because they have great difficulty explaining how they arrived at a solution.

These people usually struggle with learning new things and often believe that they are a failure because of this. If their knowledge of the one subject was ever to let them down then this would be very difficult for the natural genius to handle.

4. The Soloist Imposter

Someone that is a soloist imposter likes to work alone as much as possible. This is because they are terrified that someone else will find out that they are a fraud. A soloist can often be anti-social but not always. But they are always protective of their big imposter secret.

5. The Expert Imposter

The expert imposter is very interesting. To the rest of the world, it is obvious that the person has a lot of knowledge, but to the expert they feel like they do not have enough knowledge. When they are given a task to complete, it is likely that they will insist on performing research even though they already have all of the answers.

 

  

3 Proven Ways to Overcome Imposter Syndrome

Once you have confirmed that you are experiencing imposter syndrome you will need to take steps to overcome it. Not dealing with imposter syndrome can result in disaster. It is very important that you use techniques that have been proven to work when you want to overcome imposter syndrome.

1. Neutralize Negative Thoughts

You need to understand that imposter syndrome is all in your head. The thoughts and feelings that you are experiencing about being an imposter are not based in fact. In reality you are not a fraud or an imposter, its just that your thoughts are telling you that you are.

Everything begins with thoughts. You are not going to experience bad feelings without a thought starting this off. We are what we think, and if you do not control the negative thoughts in your mind then you are not going to overcome imposter syndrome.

When you experience a negative thought that tells you that you are an imposter, you need to neutralize this. The best way to do this is to think a positive thought immediately afterwards. You need to act quickly here and not let any of the negative thoughts fester in your mind. They can soon turn into limiting beliefs if you don’t take action.

If you experience a thought that is telling you that you are an imposter because you are having difficulty completing a task for example, you can neutralize this by thinking “I will complete this task because I can do anything” or something similar to this.

It is going to take time and practice to get this right. After a while, you will find that you automatically neutralize negative thoughts with positive ones. The act of neutralizing a negative thought takes away its power so you need to persevere with this.

2. Celebrate Your Accomplishments

People that experience imposter syndrome are often quick to downplay their achievements. They believe that anyone else could have done the things that they accomplished. This is not true of course, so you need to prove to your subconscious mind that your accomplishments mean something.

While we never think that dwelling in the past is a good idea, it can help to dig in to your past to create a list of the things that you have achieved in your lifetime. Don’t even think about saying that you have never achieved anything. You certainly have and you need to dig deep to find these.

Recalling your current and recent achievements will be a lot easier and it is something that we recommend you do. As you recall each one, celebrate this in your mind. When you consistently celebrate your accomplishments, you will prove to your subconscious that you are worthy and this will negate the power of imposter syndrome.

3. Assess Your Abilities

Another effective way to overcome imposter syndrome is to make an assessment of your abilities. This is also a way to inform your subconscious mind that you are not an imposter and that you deserve to be where you are.

You need to be honest with yourself here. Grab a pen and paper and take the time out to think about your different abilities. We would always recommend that you write these down as there is power to be derived from this. Read your abilities list to yourself over and over to convince your subconscious that you are not a fraud.