What is Imposter Syndrome?
The pychological phenomenon; Imposter Syndrome is a feeling that you don’t deserve your job despite all of your accomplishments in the workplace and hold back from taking risks for fear of failure.
Signs of Imposter Syndrome
- You’re putting in 100% effort to the point that you are exhausted. (Eg. you work overtime or go in to work early everyday)
- You put yourself down for minor mistakes – you can’t seem to just let the little things go when it comes to yourself.
- You are convinced your coworkers have it together, but you don’t and everyone is noticing.
- You have a hard time accepting praise as you think you aren’t doing a good enough job, even when people are saying the opposite.
- You believe you are defined by your job or career.
How Imposter Syndrome can affect every aspect of your life
- Some people may end up folding under pressure as they are unsure how to handle the feelings of being an imposter, rather than looking for solutions.
- It can affect careers as it often times leads to procrastination, due to the individual having fear their work won’t live up to high standards. Some people may over produce or spend too much time on a task that should have taken a shorter amount of time.
- Imposter syndrome can also have a negative affect on family and relationships as some people put work and their career before family.
How Can an Individual Overcome Imposter Syndrome?
- Individuals suffering from Imposter Syndrome need to put themselves in supportive and positive environments.
- Pay close attention to your negative thoughts (ie. your coworkers thinking you don’t know what you’re doing). When this thought pops into your head, try to remember that is just a thought and not fact.
- Make a list of all of your skills, qualifications, and accomplishments that make you qualified for your position, so that whenever you have negative thoughts, that list is at the top of your mind.
If you or any of your staff are suffering from Imposter Syndrome and require a business coach in Vancouver to help you overcome this, contact us today!