Everyone suffers from moments of self-doubt. It’s a natural part of life, and there’s no harm in occasionally questioning yourself- and your intentions.
However, if your self-doubt is preventing you from growing, or you’re constantly stuck in a cycle of “I’m not good enough,” “I don’t deserve this,” or other harmful thoughts that try to negate all your hard work and experience- you’re probably suffering from imposter syndrome.
What Is Impostor Syndrome?
Impostor syndrome is when you feel unworthy or incompetent, despite evidence to the contrary. It’s a much deeper sense of doubt in yourself and your abilities and is often linked to anxiety (or childhood trauma, yes- we’re getting deep today).
The good news is that you’re not alone. Most people have (or had) impostor syndrome and many have found ways to overcome it and create a more confident and successful life.
Now, it’s your turn.
Identifying Impostor Syndrome
The first step in conquering impostor syndrome is to identify it. Here’s how:
- You claim you just “got lucky” instead of acknowledging all your hard work and dedication.
- You have a hard time accepting praise or compliments.
- You constantly apologize for things you didn’t do or don’t need to apologize for.
- You have impossibly high standards for yourself and feel like a failure whenever you don’t reach them.
- You don’t take opportunities because you feel like you’re not good enough to succeed in them.
- You avoid offering opinions or advice because you don’t think your opinion matters.
- You avoid acting confident because you don’t want to appear pretentious or arrogant.
- You’ve convinced yourself that you’re a fraud and don’t belong in the position you have, despite having worked hard to be there.
- You have a voice in your head that’s constantly undermining you, belittling you, and feeding the sense of “not good enough.”
If these sound familiar, then you have impostor syndrome.
Tips for Conquering Impostor Syndrome
Now that we’ve identified the problem, it’s time to put that pesky voice to rest with these tips.
Tip 1: Remember that you’re not alone.
Everyone has experienced impostor syndrome at some point, and several entrepreneurs have pushed past it and built a successful career. If they can do it, so can you.
Tip 2: Let go of your inner perfectionist.
One of the biggest factors of impostor syndrome is the need to be perfect. However, things don’t have to be perfect, and you can still run a successful business without it. Let it go. Let it gooooooo! (cue the song from Frozen).
Tip 3: Track and measure your success.
Quit crediting luck for your life. Instead, track and measure your successes so you can get a visual representation of how much YOU have done to get where you are. You can also see the subtle progressions of your business- so, on days when you feel like you’re not growing by leaps and bounds, you can go in and say “Still, my client retention rate is up by 20%” or “I have sold more than last quarter.” Impostor syndrome or not, this data is your friend.
Tip 4: Talk about it.
It helps to get a second opinion, so talk to someone about your impostor syndrome. It can be a friend, a family member, a therapist, or even another entrepreneur. They’ll understand what you’re going through and can help you sort the facts and boost your confidence. Plus, talking about it makes it less real- less impactful- and will often give you the boost you need to think “Huh, I am worthy of this.”
Tip 5: Say yes to new opportunities.
One of the ways impostor syndrome gets us to self-sabotage is by preventing us from taking new opportunities. Maybe it’s the fear of failure or the sense that you don’t have the skills or knowledge to take it. Whatever the reason, we often let opportunities for growth and promotion pass us by.
Well, I want you to start saying YES to those opportunities! That way, you can tell your impostor syndrome to back off and remind yourself that you CAN succeed at new things.
Tip 6: Embrace the feeling.
Impostor syndrome can be uncomfortable. However, if you learn to embrace the feeling and use it as a sign that you’re moving in the right direction, it’ll eventually become more bearable.
Final Thoughts
Impostor syndrome is one of the most common feelings in the world. However, many have pushed past it to make a career for themselves, and you can, too.
Just remember that it’ll take longer than a day to conquer your impostor syndrome, and you may never get rid of it completely. However, if you talk about it, keep tabs on the data, and embrace new opportunities, you’ll be well on your way to a new, more confident lifestyle.
