Do you Suffer from Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the overwhelming feeling that you don’t deserve success.
It can convince you that you’re not talented, intelligent, or creative.
You can also relate it to the fear of success, fear of failure or even self-sabotage.
Typically, imposter syndrome shows its ugly head at the start of success; starting a new business or job, receiving an award, rank advancement, or teaching others. It is often confused with a lack of self-confidence or self-esteem, whereas there’s much more to it.
In this blog, we’re going to explore it a little bit more, and I want you to leave with tips on overcoming and managing it. We see it so much in business and the network marketing industry that I felt strongly about talking about it—sort of like, eliminating the elephant in the room.
Imposter Syndrome is Often Associated with High Achievers
Many people assume that imposter syndrome is someone (or ourselves) being a fraud. So let’s debunk that assumption because guess what? Frauds don’t worry about if they’re a fraud.
Great, let’s move on.
We often don’t realize when we suffer from imposter syndrome, which is where a great support circle or a mentor is incredibly beneficial. This fear of success can motivate some people to work harder. However, the majority will downgrade their goals and lose ambition.
This happens (in short) because we become afraid that if we can’t maintain the accolade, level of success or otherwise — that others will call us lucky or we shouldn’t have achieved it in the first place. Please remember this is what that nasty inner voice inside our heads is telling us because the few that may believe that — aren’t your people anyway.
There have been many studies that support imposter syndrome being related to high achievers, and I agree. (studies are available online here)
Has anyone ever told you that you’re selling yourself short?
We’ve all heard that at one point or another, and this is a great cause to evaluate if we are suffering from imposter syndrome. This syndrome was believed to be male-dominant, generally in executive-type roles.
However, with the rise of women in these roles (and others), more than the data is needed to support either way …
BUT it is suggested that women are deemed more resilient and are typically more optimistic than men when held accountable. (we can always learn from women, can’t we?!)
So, I would encourage you to think about your goals for a moment;
- Are they ambitious enough for you?
- Do you think you’ve set the bar high enough?
- Are your goals comfortable and safe?
- How confident do you believe in achieving them?
If goal setting is an area you could use a little help with — please let me know how I can help!
Does your Team Suffer from Imposter Syndrome?
Impostor Syndrome doesn’t just hurt the people who experience it. It also hurts the teams and businesses that they belong to. So, if you are in a leadership role (or aspiring to be), keep an eye out for team members struggling with feelings of inadequacy.
Other ‘side effects include;
- Self-doubt
- Refusing to own success
- Perfectionist traits
- Overthinkers
Please Note: If you or someone you are working with displays the above traits, it doesn’t mean they are dealing with imposter syndrome. Something to keep on your radar!
Tips for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Like many unfavorable things, admitting that we have imposter syndrome is the hardest part. Much of this is because we are under the assumption that the opposite looks like being self-righteous, arrogant or the all-too-important. This is NOT the case.
So first and foremost, identify your feelings and write them down. Then, take some time to describe a situation in that you were experiencing self-doubt, lack of confidence and fear of success as it relates to your business.
The more detailed you can be, the better.
Talk to Others!
Reach out and talk to people you trust. You might be surprised how many of your friends and team members can relate to your feelings. Listen to the people you respect in your life and let them show you how your fears are unsupported.
Then, explore and understand your strengths and weaknesses.
Once you have a deeper understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, you will only have to spend so much time worrying that you’re qualified for specific projects or roles. Instead, develop a supportive network of people who can help you to appreciate the reality of your situation and help you filter out your negative self-talk.
Having a clear picture of our strengths and weaknesses can help us double down on our strengths and minimize our weaknesses.
Lastly, own your SUCCESS!
Often, those who suffer from imposter syndrome struggle with accepting compliments. This can often look like attributing our success to outside factors like good luck or help from others. Although both may be true — it’s your success to own.
Celebrating yourself once you’ve accomplished a goal or achievement is a great way to start owning your success. One way to help make this process simpler is to visualize your success before it happens. This way, you can welcome it instead of being afraid of it.
Do you suffer from imposter syndrome? Know someone who does? Be sure to share this post with others who will benefit in identifying if they, too, are dealing with this culprit!
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