HOW TO DEAL WITH IMPOSTER SYNDROME?
12 June, 2019 (Consolace Counselling Services)
Ways to overcome imposter syndrome
Success feels like an accomplishment. But what about those who believe that they don't deserve the accomplishment and that they are fooling others with their success? For them success feels more like a failure as they suffer from imposter syndrome. It's a condition in which people constantly battle with their own thoughts to stop their inner voice from saying "I am a fraud." Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern where an individual refuses to acknowledge their own accomplishments and also lives in a constant fear of being exposed as a fraud. This is a terrifying situation and many successful people have experienced it at some point in their life.
.jpg)
imposter syndromeThe very talented writer, poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou once said, "I have written 11 books, but each time I think, 'uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.' This happens with many of us at some point or another. There are times when we start believing that our work is not worthy enough for the praise. We lose our confidence and self esteem. Gradually, it becomes really very difficult to control the imposter feelings. Every time, you achieve something in life, you consider yourself to be an imposter and fail to acknowledge your own achievement. If you too are going through such times, here's what you need to know about imposter syndrome and the ways to deal with it.
How to overcome imposter syndrome?
It is indeed true that, 'We become what we think.' We suffer from imposter syndrome because we think that we are an imposter. The first step towards combating imposter syndrome is to stop thinking that you are a fraud. Change the way you see yourself to fight imposter syndrome. You can do this in the following ways-
- Count your positives: The moment you begin to feel that you are not worth it, remind yourself why you are actually worth it. Recollect your good qualities that helped you succeed. Tell yourself that you have earned this success purely on your merit and not because of luck or influence. Trust the words of those who appreciate your achievements.
- Don't get obsessed with perfectionism: Being a perfectionist helps to boost personal and professional growth. But, when you get obsessed with it, the results are completely opposite. Over perfectionism can lead to self doubt and you will start questioning your worth. You will not appreciate yourself even if you do a job with 99% perfection. Fraudulent feelings would crop up when you fail to achieve 100% perfection.
- Don't let feelings overpower facts: You may feel like fooling others. But that's just a feeling. You have to realise the fact that if you have been rewarded with something, then you must have truly deserved it. Learn to separate feelings from facts.
- Share your feelings with others: Some people keep their imposter feelings with themselves fearing how others would react after knowing their reality. Keeping your issues to yourselves is like escalating the problems. Talk to someone about how you feel and you might get some peace.
Counselling is a great way to find a way out of problems cluttering your mind. Consolace counselling services in Trivandrum can help you meet your real self. Don't think that success is for other people or that you don't deserve it. Stop focusing on what you are not and don't hesitate to seek help if you can't do it alone.
