2021 has brought on a lot of opportunities and accomplishments for me. I’m quite proud of myself and look forward to more. But sometimes I wonder, “do I deserve all this? Am I just lucky?” Imposter syndrome is the feeling of inadequacy despite evidence of success. It is chronic self-doubt of yourself and your accomplishments.
I suffer from an anxiety disorder, so imposter syndrome comes with that. Every time I accomplish something, I tend to downplay it. Recently, I got a great job opportunity that everyone tells me I am the perfect fit for. I am now the Opinion Director of my school newspaper. I have been writing for the paper for over a year. Everyone says how much they like my work and how I deserve this job. Yet, I still sometimes feel like maybe I’ve fooled everyone, and I’m going to mess up somehow.
It’s even worse as a woman because our achievements are often downplayed. Women can’t possibly put in the same hard work as men or even have the same intelligence society tells us. Society ingrains that into our heads, and it’s hard to break out of that mindset sometimes.
I’m working on fighting my imposter syndrome head-on. I know others struggle with this too. One of the first things I am trying to do is psyching myself up. I want to hype myself up, make myself feel good. I’ll make a list in my head of all the things I am qualified to do. I remind myself that sometimes I am even more qualified for a job than other people.
I try to own my accomplishments. I remind myself “yes, I did that! Not anybody else, just me.” I shouldn’t be finding excuses for my own success. I worked hard and it pulled through.
Letting go of your perfectionist side is also an essential step. Setting an impossibly high standard for yourself is going to end up hindering you at the end of the day. It just worsens your imposter syndrome. It makes you obsessed with being the very best, and you’re never quite satisfied with your work.
Being kind to yourself is also essential. Lifting the weight of expectation off of your shoulders will feel better than you think. Imposter syndrome is the voice in our heads telling you bad things about yourself. Negative thinking is a bad habit that you should combat against. I know I struggle with this a lot as well, but whenever I think of a negative thought, I try to shake it away immediately and tell myself I’m being ridiculous.
It’s also important to note that you’re not alone if you’re suffering from imposter syndrome. Thousands of people feel the same. Someone noticeable that has spoken about imposter syndrome is Michelle Obama. She was speaking at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, an all-girls school in London, when she said, “It doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is.”
Imposter syndrome manifests itself in many different ways but at the end of the day, it’s all in your head. It is hindering your process. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not worthy of that promotion or you’re not good enough for something, even if that person is your mind.