Imposter Syndrome, Or Is It?
Imposter Syndrome Phenomenon
Imposter syndrome victimizes up to 82% of people according to the American Psychological Association (2021). Those who suffer from such feel that their efforts are the results of luck and that they are undeserving or fraudulent in their achieving their goals. While plenty associate imposter syndrome with those with low self-esteem, the fear is actually more commonly found in ambitious and successful people. Despite their high-achieving nature, these individuals run with the fear that others will unmask their “true selves” of being incapable. They are afraid that they will be caught being individuals that are not the builders behind their solid track record. Is this you? If so, then I have good news for you.
This popularized concept is actually not a syndrome or diagnosis, but instead, it is a phenomenon. The imposter feelings do not emanate from who you are at your core, meaning they are not the makeup of your psychology or biology. This also means that it is not a sickness; there is no clinical diagnosis for such. Again, it’s a phenomenon; it is simply a shared experience that happens to you and millions of other people.
Perhaps reducing such to solely individual is a result of several social, cultural, and communal factors outside of you. Imposter phenomenon is most common in underserved and underrepresented identities. An example is working as a Filipino in a White- or Western-dominated company. It’s easy to feel that you don’t belong, you are inherently less educated than them, and you are inferior. However, it is for this very reason we call all safe spaces to be accountable for certain microaggressions or discriminatory cultural dynamics within their work settings.
However, just in the same pattern that stress is not intrinsically bad for you, self-doubt works the same. According to Dr. Andrea Nuñez, a bit of self-doubt can be a healthy way to adapt (2021). Imposter phenomenon can be a catalyst for our personal growth, allowing us to recognize that we cannot possibly know everything. So in dealing with your imposter syndrome, beyond simply embracing it and letting it push you towards growth, remember that it is a spectrum. Imposter syndrome can move in the opposite direction of the negative implication we give it. Dr. Ami Rokach says that in the same manner that imposter phenomenon inflicts self-doubt in high-achieving people, these imposter feelings can also imprint the desire for high achievement, thus amplifying one’s self-belief and confidence in their own capabilities and in turn, their achievements (2021).
Now, what can you practice when you fall into your habit of imposter phenomenon? What can you do in triggers of being accepted into your dream job or role, receiving an award for your accomplishment, or acknowledged for your contributions?
Write down the facts. List down your achievements or even take a look at your curriculum vitae or resumé. Recall how one event led to the other. You can even map it out and list down your personal qualities that allowed you those opportunities. Meditate and compare yourself now with the person you were 1-5 years ago.
Be mindful of how to talk to yourself about these experiences and facts. Ask yourself: would you tell a friend the same thing in light of these achievements? Mirror that positive response and supportiveness to yourself.
Play Among Us! – That’s a joke, but basically: try to do the activity with a friend. If you can’t do such exercises alone, do them with a friend. You will expose yourself to objective facts about yourself that you may be oblivious to.
Reward yourself and celebrate your success. Apart from simply meditating and expressing gratitude for your successes, tangible reminders and rewards are crucial. Hang up your certificates, display your medals, and treat yourself to your dream shoes so you are reminded of your accomplishments.
Lastly, embrace your imperfectness. Are you truly not achieving your goals or are you simply not reaching the expectations you have set for yourself? Free yourself from rigid expectations and allow yourself grace and self-compassion in the face of failure. Own your failures because things we haven’t learned are things that are bound to happen again. Sometimes, that is the most Magis thing you can do.
