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How to Fight Impostor Syndrome
There are 5 types of impostors. Which one are you?
Joseph Waruiru
January 18, 2024
Hey - it’s Joseph here.
Have you ever felt like an impostor at work?
Like everyone is going to find you out?
In this article, you are going to learn how to fight the impostor syndrome.
Last week, I filled a difficult international role at work and my boss decided to celebrate me by announcing it to the entire company.
Congratulations messages were streaming in from left, right and center.
But I was not happy.
My mind was all over the place:
“What if I was just lucky?”
“What if I fail in the next role?”
“What if the candidate changes his mind?”
Until my wife told me that I should celebrate the fact that I was committed to recruitment process, whether it bore fruit or not.
Image by Freepik
The impostor syndrome robs you of:
Your self-confidence
Your achievements
Your inner peace
As a job seeker, the impostor syndrome will keep you from applying to jobs you qualify for.
Your inner voice will tell you that you’re not good enough.
But you are not alone.
The best way to deal with impostor syndrome is to realize that everyone is an impostor
“I had to overcome the question, ‘am I good enough?’ It’s dogged me for most of my life. Many women and young girls walk around with that question in their minds. It doesn’t go away, that feeling of ‘I don’t know if the world should take me seriously; I’m just Michelle Robinson, that little girl on the south side who went to public school”
“I go through (Imposter Syndrome) with every role. I think winning an Oscar may in fact have made it worse. Now that I've achieved this, what am I going to do next? What do I strive for? Then I remember that I didn’t get into acting for the accolades; I got into it for the joy of telling stories.”
“No matter what we've done, there comes a point where you think, 'How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?”
How can you fight this invisible enemy?
By understanding the kind of impostor that you are.
According to researcher Dr. Valerie Young, there are five types of impostors.
In this section, we’ll explore each type of impostor and counteractions:
#1: The Perfectionist
Definition: This person always believes that unless they were perfect in accomplishing a task, they could have done better. They worry that they are not meeting expectations.
Counteraction: View mistakes as natural, you can’t control all outcomes. “Perfect” only exists in your mind.
#2: The Expert
Definition: This person feels like an impostor because they don’t know everything about their job, a specific topic or subject. They fear being exposed as inexperienced.
Counteraction: Recognize that this feeling is an opportunity for growth. The reason you don’t know everything is because you are learning. Embrace growth.
#3: The Natural Genius
Definition: This person feels like a fraud when they don’t get something right for the first time. They believe that they are naturally intelligent so it shouldn’t take effort to achieve anything.
Counteraction: Understand that success takes time and effort. Failure is an opportunity to learn what didn’t work and try again.
#4: The Soloist
Definition: This person feels that they got to their current position because they were assisted. So they question their competence. They assume that they should have made if on their own.
Counteraction: Appreciate the fact that you need others to get to your goals. No man is an island. Asking for help does not diminish your skills and experience.
#5: The Super-person.
Definition: This person believes that they must be the hardest worker to prove that they are not a fraud. They are addicted to the validation that comes from working.
Counteraction: Train yourself to celebrate your own accomplishments, whether you are recognized or not. See the small wins and don’t kill yourself with work.
Conclusion
What type of impostor syndrome do you relate most to?
By understanding the kind of impostor you are, you will be equipped to fight the impostor inside you when he shows up.
You know that the impostor is lying to you, so confront him/her and reach out for your goals.
Next Saturday on 27th January 2024 at 8:00am EAT, Lenny Wachira and I will be hosting a webinar on understanding the relationship between Procrastination and Impostor Syndrome.
Register here to book your spot: https://bit.ly/confronting-impostor-syndrome
Until next time,
Cheers.
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