This is sometimes referred to as imposter syndrome where you might feel that you are not qualified or good enough for the tasks or roles that have been given to you. Example: I have no business serving on this education board; I don’t know what I’m doing.
Imposter syndrome can trigger anxiety and over time can have other damaging aspects. It can drive people to overwork or procrastinate which encourages underproduction and reinforces feelings of inadequacy. Feeling like a fraud can cost folks their chance at success and happiness.
Most of these feelings of inadequacy can cause some to not seek promotions, positions, and relationships because they feel wrongly that they don’t deserve them.
The vast majority of people actually are perfectly competent. In fact, many are extremely skilled and intelligent. People in creative fields and women are especially prone to the imposter syndrome. Here is a six step plan for learning to accept your competence and overcoming imposter syndrome:
- Reject the voice telling you that you’re not qualified. The voice of self-doubt is coming from inside you but it isn’t your conscience or the voice of truth. It’s the voice of fear-fear of failure and a heightened awareness of every possible pitfall before you. Just because the voice of fear is loud does not mean that it’s right. In fact most of the time it’s wrong. Remind yourself of that fact.
- Use evidence to challenge your feelings of fraudulence. Those who suffer from imposter syndrome tend to remember all of the negative comments and results that they receive but quickly forget the positives to tip the scale in the opposite direction. Reread your resume regularly as it’s a helpful reminder of all that yo have accomplished professionally. Think about all the successful and intelligent people you have worked with and for; if you were a fraud, surely those people would have figured it out. Keep a list of all of the compliments you receive and successes you experience, even minor ones, and review this list regularly as well. Save compliments in a file folder.
- Discuss your imposter feelings with trusted friends. Not only are they likely to reassure you that you’re not an imposter…some of them probably will confess that they have felt the same way at times. It is an unfair comparison to compare the doubt you feel inside your head with the confident exterior everyone else puts on in public. It’s not a fair comparison. Having a friend or two admit that they also sometimes feel like imposters can hammer home a reassuring fact. No one feels fully qualified all the time.
- These are just some of the ways that you can deal with imposter syndrome. If you feel that this applies to you, please don’t hestitate to call or email me at 361-442-9590 or holtadams 2002@yahoo.com Life coaching can be very helpful in addressing this feelings of fraud.