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A Comprehensive Guide to Imposter Syndrome & Its Solutions!

One problem that prevents you from developing in a profession or business is the impostor syndrome. This is the name of a psychological phenomenon associated with a biased assessment of one's competencies. An "impostor" can seriously restrict a person. For example, force them to give up lucrative career prospects or postpone personal projects for years.

We will tell you what symptoms identify the "impostor" and how to distinguish between absolute incompetence and excitement. We also collected proven ways to overcome the syndrome.

What Is Impostor Syndrome?

Imagine that you are offered a higher position. How will you respond? If your first thought is: "Great, I've been waiting for a promotion for a long time. When should I start?"

It is worth considering if the offer causes anxiety and anxiety. For example, you worry that your competence is insufficient; the promotion is undeserved. Then maybe you have impostor syndrome.

Psychologists understand impostor syndrome as an error of thinking that leads to a person's devaluation of their professional and personal qualities.

People start to think that their success is an accident, not a result of hard work. They fear others will discover their "professional incompetence" and "worthlessness." As a result, they are ashamed when the management praises them.

Impostor syndrome is common among men and women in different fields of activity. However, not all excitement about work can be considered an "impostor." It's normal to worry about a new project or an unfamiliar task. 

How Do You Know If You Have Impostor Syndrome? Seven Main Symptoms

First, let's define the difference between impostor syndrome and ordinary incompetence. The paradox is that real "impostors" have no doubts about their professionalism. That is, they cannot suffer from this syndrome. They aim to make an impression on others rather than solve a problem or perform a high-quality job. Therefore, they need to think about whether they have enough qualifications.

Only people with a high level of expertise question their knowledge, experience, and skills. "The larger the circle of knowledge, the wider the boundaries of the unknown." The words of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates perfectly explain the nature of the impostor syndrome. If you doubt your competence, it already means that you are not an impostor. You see growth points and understand the need for constant development.

The main signs of impostor syndrome:

● Fear of taking on practical tasks,
● Doubts about their competence,
● Comparing yourself to others,
● Constant feelings of guilt and anxiety and
● Fear of asking for help.

How To Get Rid of Impostor Syndrome?
 
Despite its name, Impostor syndrome is not a disease but a feature of thinking. Getting rid of it yourself is realistic. The" impostor " needs to be detected and eliminated so that it does not interfere with building a career and personal life.

● Keep A Diary of Your Achievements.

People with impostor syndrome pay attention only to their failures and overlook success. Instead, show yourself that there are far more tasks completed and goals achieved than mistakes.

To do this, keep a diary of your achievements. This can be a separate notepad or a file on your PC, where you will record your progress daily. Note even small things. We had a productive meeting, helped a colleague with the report, and contacted a new client. Write it all down in your diary. As a result, you will convince the "impostor" that there is nothing wrong with your professionalism. The qualification is sufficient to solve any task.

● Request Feedback

Ask your colleagues how comfortable they are working with you. Ask them to note your strengths and weaknesses. An outside view will help you identify the benefits. Getting objective feedback is essential, so don't hesitate to ask about the downsides.

Make a comparison table based on the results. Write down positive characteristics in one column and negative attributes in the other. You will realize that they see more advantages in you.

Then make your assessment of your colleagues based on the same principle. This way, you will see that there are no perfect people, which is normal. For example, some people are better at working with people, while others are better at strategic planning.

● Engage In Mentoring

Often people do not perceive their experience and knowledge as valuable. If you have impostor syndrome, try training new employees. You'll realize how much you can do. Make sure that your expertise is at a high level. And when the wards start progressing, they can be recorded in the diary of achievements.

● Practice More

"Impostor" makes you doubt your professional qualities. You don't know if you can handle the task in practice. The way out is obvious: try and ensure you can take it.

Therefore, move from teaching and theory to real projects as soon as possible. Plus, practice itself is a source of knowledge. Consequently, it is worth overcoming doubts once to ensure your competence. After that, the impostor syndrome will gradually disappear.

Impostor syndrome is a common psychological phenomenon that can and should be dealt with. Self-doubt is common to most people. You need to take action if such doubts prevent you from developing, raising your profile, or building a business.

If you find an "impostor," try to deal with it yourself. Pay attention to your successes, draw valuable conclusions from your failures, and ask your colleagues to evaluate your professional qualities objectively. In complicated cases, contact a psychologist.

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