Have you ever had that feeling of waiting to be “found out?” Waiting for someone to tell you “Oops! Sorry, we made a mistake. You don’t really belong in this job.”? That little voice in your head that says, “You don’t know what you’re doing. You don’t have enough experience. You’re not fooling anyone. It’s just luck you’re in this role.”
Yeah, that’s Imposter Syndrome.
Officially defined on Wikipedia as “…a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments or talents and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a ‘fraud.’”
Said differently, Imposter Syndrome is when other people’s perceptions about your competence exceed your level of self-confidence.
Regardless of how you choose to define it, if the voice in your head is anything like the voice in my head, it can really suck the lifeblood right out of you. For many of us, it can induce undue stress, and be a serious drag on energy, which can affect the impact you have and the results you achieve.
Think about it – when was the last time you did your best work and showed up as your best self when your inner critic was wreaking havoc in your mind?
Whenever a coaching client starts to go down a path that sounds like imposter syndrome, one of my first questions is usually: “What evidence do you have to support that this is true?”
I’ve yet to have a client present any evidence, compelling or otherwise, that verifies they aren’t “good enough” or qualified to do the job they’re in. In fact, usually, there is an abundance of evidence to suggest just the opposite – that they are highly skilled and highly valued (case in point, most organizations don’t invest in coaching for someone who isn’t valued!)
Imposter Syndrome is a big, gnarly topic. We won’t cover it all today, but here are three brain hacks you can try. The more you practice, the more your build and strengthen new neural pathways, making it easier and easier each time around to not let it hijack your brain.
Name It
Research has shown that by naming or labeling what you’re feeling you can reduce the stress response in your brain. This can help to put things in their proper perspective and give you a more realistic view of the situation. Saying the emotion out loud or writing it down offers a reprieve. And, according to neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, the more granular you can get with labeling, the better!
Look for Contrary Evidence
Just because you have a thought, doesn’t make it true. If you feel yourself going down the rabbit hole of Imposter Syndrome, look for evidence to support the opposite of your thoughts.
- Hold onto the email from that colleague that complimented your skills.
- Pull out your last performance feedback from your manager that highlighted your accomplishments.
- Etc. You get the point.
Practice Mindfulness
How can you be fully attuned to the present? Imposter Syndrome will have you living in the past (obsessing about what you didn’t do well enough) or the future (obsessing about how you aren’t going to measure up in that next presentation, interview, etc.) Mindfulness keeps you in the here and now.
- Take 60 seconds to rub your thumb and forefinger together and feel the ridges on your fingertips.
- Focus on your breath while you’re heating up your lunch in the microwave.
- Close your eyes and see how many sounds you can identify in the environment.
Bonus Hack
Keep a notebook handy. Any time someone offers you a compliment, make a note of it, including who said it and the date. When your Inner Critic starts to wake up from its nap, pull out the notebook to be reminded of why everyone else thinks you are a rock star. Remember, you are not your thoughts, and feelings aren’t facts.
The myriad ways to practice mindfulness are endless. And they are not complicated and don’t need to be time-consuming. Find a strategy that helps get you outside of your head and into the moment.
To paraphrase the writer Richard Bach, if you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them. Don’t let Imposter Syndrome hold you back!
