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Introduction
Imposter syndrome is a big deal for a lot of people. Imposter syndrome is something that can cause someone to feel like they do not belong somewhere and that others are going to start to notice that they do not belong there at all. This can cause a lot of stress and anxiety for the person who suffers from it and can make it hard for them to work on goals, accept praise, or do well in many aspects of their lives.
In this guidebook, we are going to take a look at some of the steps that you can take to help fight off imposter syndrome. This is a really hard thing to work with because it affects the mindset of the person who has to deal with it. When we feel like an imposter, there is often something from our pasts that have made that a reality, and it is hard to fight off. With some of the steps that we will walk through in this guidebook, we will be able to learn how to deal with imposter syndrome to provide a better life for ourselves.
Through recognizing what triggers imposter syndrome in ourselves to working on our self-confidence and speaking out when we need to be heard, there are methods that we can use to put imposter syndrome to rest. Even facing failures at work and learning how to deal with them properly will make it easier to handle
Fighting off imposter syndrome and finding a way to fit in is not going to be easy. this will not be solved overnight. Instead, you will need to work on it for a long time, learning how to improve your self-esteem and fighting off a lot of the negative thoughts in order to make it go away and to help yourself feel like you fit in better than before.
This guidebook is the tool that you need to work against imposter syndrome and to make sure you can live a life that you love.
Take a look inside to see more about what imposter syndrome is all about, how it can affect your life, and some of the steps you can take to make sure it does not take over your life any longer.
Chapter 1: What is Imposter Syndrome?
People who struggle with something known as imposter syndrome often believe that they do not deserve their achievements or the high esteem that many others may have of them. They may feel that people see them in the wrong light, or that they are given more praise and accolades than they deserve. This can cause anxiety because they often worry others will catch on and see them as an imposter, which is where the name comes from.
Someone with this disorder may feel that they are not as intelligent or competent as others may think they are. And they worry that soon enough, those around them will start to discover the truth. This is often unfounded. The person with the syndrome is usually bright and funny and does well with other people. They are not purposely trying to trick people. But when they get special recognition for something they worked hard on or did well, then they feel like they are deceiving others.
Due to this, it is common to find those who have imposter syndrome as someone who is well accomplished. Many of these individuals will have numerous academic degrees or hold a high office of some kind, often because they worked hard and deserved it, though this syndrome makes them think otherwise.
That brings up the question, why do people with this syndrome feel like they are frauds when there is a ton of evidence around them that point to their success. Instead of acknowledging their capabilities and the effort they put in, they will choose to attribute all their good accomplishments to external causes. For example, they may say that it was good timing or good luck that got them where they are.
It is often due to personality traits that someone will have imposter syndrome. Those who experience it will struggle with a few other problems, including neuroticism, perfectionism, and self-efficacy. Competitive environments are thought to lay some of the groundwork for this. You may find that those who deal with this syndrome had to deal with a lot of pressure about their grades and doing well in school from their parents.
The numbers of those with imposter syndrome is high for those who are high achievers. It is estimated that 25 to 30 percent of high achievers suffer from this. And to make it worse, studies have found that close to 70 percent of adults will experience impostorism at least once in their lifetime.
Each person will come to this in a different way. Often the biggest trigger is when the successes of the person with it are brought up to attention. This could happen in many situations including when the person gets an award, when they pass an exam, or they get that big promotion they deserve. When they are given attention for their hard work, they will feel like they are an imposter. Failure after having a string of successes can also cause someone to critique and question how smart or skilled they are.
While imposter syndrome is not an official thing that you can be diagnosed, it is something that you are able to overcome. You will need to work on changing some of your own personal mindset about your achievements and some of your own abilities, it is common for the person to feel like they do not belong much so being able to acknowledge that you do belong and to look at your own accomplishments and expertise will help you to remember that you earned a place in that environment.
Comparing yourself to another person can make this imposter syndrome worse. When you see that others are working hard and achieving great things and then you hear that you did something great, you may compare it to the others and feel like you are a fraud for being recognized. When we stop the comparison and focus on what it is that we work on so hard, it will make a difference.
What Imposter Syndrome Feels Like
These feelings of being an imposter will represent a big conflict between the way you perceive yourself and the way others perceive you as well. Even as others take the time to praise your talents, you will write them off, saying things just worked out because of good timing or good luck. Basically, you do not believe that it was your own merits that earned you the praise and you worry that others are going to realize this as well.