At some point in your life, you most probably found yourself in a situation where you felt like you were not good enough, or you simply don’t belong. We all know how draining self-doubt can be, yet we mostly tend to think that we are alone in this situation. It’s common to think we should start to strive to drastically improve ourselves, adhere to unrealistic expectations, become a part of hustle culture, and excel in an environment we feel uncomfortable in. When put in writing, it seems pretty obvious that this behavior is toxic, draining, stressful and tiring. However, there’s only so much done to understand it, and normalize a more healthy approach. This article is meant to put a stop to your impostor syndrome and provide you with actionable tips to help fight it.

What exactly is impostor syndrome?

As it is also called perceived fraudulence, it refers to a person experiencing excessive self-doubt, that they are not as competent as their peers. It also presumes fear that others will find out about the situation and a rather uncomfortable and undesirable outcome. Though it is not yet considered a clinical diagnosis, it’s frequently experienced at work or even at home. Symptoms include internal stress and drive to always do better, perfectionism, fear of not performing well enough, untimely burnout, and inability to correctly evaluate one’s own achievements and results.

Who does impostor syndrome affect?

Long story short impostor syndrome can effect everyone and anyone, but it is most common amongst high-performing individuals, as they are pressed by the feeling of not being able to replicate earlier success. They have more “to lose” if they are “unmasked”, and are generally exposed to more stress within their positions. “It’s especially prominent among people with underrepresented identities. For example, BIPOC people who work or study in predominantly White environments wrestle with impostor feelings at higher rates, either contending with feelings that they don’t belong or that they’re products of affirmative action”- said Kevin Cokley, Ph.D., a professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin who has studied impostor phenomenon since 2013. Transgender people also suffer from impostor syndrome in higher percentages, as they tend to constantly doubt of not being a woman or man enough, coupled with external fear that the world is not perceiving them as they wish to be looked at or judged, resulting in a pressing feeling of inferiority.

Why should you fight it in time?

You may think that it’s natural and beneficial to think about how you perform in a competitive environment. To a certain extent, it can increase your motivation, helps to eliminate possible mistakes and through improved results, it may even help you gain confidence. However, after a time it becomes much more difficult to focus on the positive aspects. According to Ami Rokach, PhD, an instructor of psychology at York University in Toronto and a clinical psychologist who co-authored a paper on the impostor phenomenon among psychology students, “impostor phenomenon is a spectrum, not binary,” he said. “Just as high achievement can fuel impostor phenomenon in self-doubting people, impostor feelings can fuel high achievement, which would enhance one’s beliefs in his or her abilities and achievement.” After a time, the constant need to do your best becomes tiring and draining. It may trigger isolation, cause difficulty to connect with others, extreme fear of failure and lack of confidence. However promising the beginning may seem, it can easily create a toxic cycle that is hard to break free from.

How to fight impostor syndrome?

1. First, acknowledge that it’s not only you feeling this way. Up to 82% of people struggle with the same feelings daily. In one small study, 88% of postdoctoral psychology students reported they experienced at least moderate impostor phenomenon feelings.
2. Try to recognize every emotion and cognitive distortion that feeds it, and work on them individually. Ask for professional help if you feel like it’s too much.
3. Share your feelings with your peers to uncover their fears as well. It may help to establish trust with team members and improve dynamics too.
4. Shift your external focus to internal priorities, and focus on your mental health. Try to learn to not define yourself based on your professional or personal achievements, and feel comfortable and complete without them too.
5. Share your failures. An occasional rant is proven to help with accepting failure and reducing fears connected to it.

We are always going to be faced with new challenges, roles, responsibilities and expectations. It’s always helpful to remember that impostor syndrome might be present, and practice a little self-compassion with the realization.