In my personal career journey, I have not heard about Imposter Syndrome a lot, but I think it may be quite a lot around us. Imposter syndrome is a psychological experience, condition, or feeling that oneself does not deserve a success or a success is not because of their skills and/or efforts.

Two clinical psychologists, Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, first identified and named the phenomenon back in 1978. Not only they wrote specifically towards women, in reality in recent years, many have done various researches where women are more likely to feel imposter syndrome. From an HBR report to KPMG study, they all found more female have undergone this feeling more than male, and primarily because of gender biases and prejudices. It does not mean men won’t feel this. Imposter syndrome can occur across any age group, gender, profession, etc. It’s though more common to happen among individuals from minority groups due to racism, social stigmas, and micro-aggressions.

So far, there is no clinical research that concludes imposter syndrome as a diagnosable mental illness. Pauline Rose Clance shared a link to a very simple test she created to have a self-assessment starter to understand about ourselves better in this area (check on the second section, there is an underlined word where you can click and it will lead you to the test link). I have done the test and I scored 76! Go do your test first and find out the meaning of each rate.

There are many different factors why individuals can feel this way. Some of the external factors that probably trigger this feeling are:

1. Undervalued from closest people
2. Success is defined as super high achievement by surroundings
3. Too many expectations from family (sometimes unrealistic)

These are the things I have been doing to win the battle within myself:

(Disclaimer: It does not always succeed but I never stop trying and remind myself. Different people might need different approaches)

1. Observe and learn from over-confident people In my experience, I’ve noticed that some individuals who appear overly confident tend to receive more recognition than their skills might warrant. While they may not excel in their abilities, they have a knack for presenting themselves as top-notch. It’s evident in how they carry themselves, the way they speak, and their body language, almost demanding attention and admiration. It raises the question: if they can garner such praise, why can’t we receive similar acknowledgment? Perhaps deep down, we recognize our own potential, but struggle to express it as effectively.
2. Ask the specific why you deserve the compliment from those who praise you It might annoy some people, so it’s wise to select someone you trust to provide additional insights about yourself. Hearing specific examples of your achievements and why they were particularly commendable can offer valuable perspective. While it may not be the healthiest habit, comparing your accomplishments to those of others can sometimes boost confidence and provide a fresh outlook.
3. Look back and see how far you’ve gone After a long journey we have gone through, it’s easy to forget to take a moment to reflect. Engaging in this exercise has allowed me to recognize the hurdles I’ve overcome, the challenges I’ve conquered, and to appreciate where I currently stand as an accomplishment in itself. Throughout this process, I occasionally found myself falling into the trap of thinking, “I’m not progressing fast enough, others are surpassing me,” but I’ve come to understand that this self-dialogue is normal. We simply need to remind ourselves that reaching our current position hasn’t been a walk in the park. As we gaze back at the obstacles, both big and small, we should give ourselves a pat on the back.
4. Talk to the mirror While self-dialogue is important, journaling can help us to easy our anxiety, and talking to the mirror can help us to see ourselves how we talk to other people, our expressions, our body language. However, these practices may not resonate with everyone; some may feel diminished by them. Personally, these activities allow me to actualize the vision I hold for myself, stemming from the other three practices I engage in. Consequently, I find myself feeling more assured when undertaking tasks or engaging in discussions.