Ever feel like you’re not as smart or competent as you should be? Like you’re not qualified to do the work you are doing? Not experienced enough? Like everyone else has better credentials or more education? Do you sometimes fear that any minute, someone will “pull the curtain” aside to reveal your weaknesses? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs – men and women alike – suffer from what’s commonly called Impostor Syndrome. In fact, it’s one of the things my clients talk about frequently (but only in private!).
Impostor syndrome is a very real phenomenon, which was identified in 1978 through research by psychotherapists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes who found that many women with notable achievements also had high levels of self doubt. Since then, many studies have confirmed their findings.
You can probably relate to symptoms of Imposter Syndrome if you have ever:
- Been plagued by feelings of inadequacy and chronic self-doubt (“Who would want to read my blog anyway?”);
- Worried about being revealed as a fake or a fraud in your profession (“If they only knew I don’t have a master’s degree…”);
- Felt inferior compared to others in your field (“Why would they ask ME to speak when there are so many other choices?”);
- Dismissed your own achievements as being the result of good luck (“Well the only reason I had such as successful year was because of that one contract, which will probably never happen again.);
- Set low expectations for yourself to avoid failure (“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my best).
Does that sound like someone you know? Take heart – there is hope for those of us who suffer from imposter syndrome. [Read more...]
