There is a condition on the rise across the world. Rarely discussed, rarely recognised. What am I talking about? Imposter Syndrome. In this article we’ll explore three ways in which we can begin to journey within, to combat this growing modern phenomenon.
By Natalie Walker Brimble
Psychologists first coined the phrase “imposter syndrome” in 1978. The dictionary defines it as – “The persistent inability to believe that one’s successes are deserved or have been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s efforts or skills.” Alarmingly a recent Twitter poll found that 81% of people said that they had experienced Imposter Syndrome at some point.
Social Media
When considering imposter syndrome, the problem does not always lie with us – but more about how we internalize and view others and their achievements. We measure ourselves and our worthiness by other people's “success.” If we feel that we don’t measure up, it’s easy to begin to feel like an imposter.
Given that we live in a time where external validation is a part of our everyday life via social media, we can see why imposter syndrome is on the rise. Social media stats show that as of 2022, there are 4.59 billion social media users worldwide. The correlation between the rise in social media and the rise in imposter syndrome can not be ignored.
We need to recalibrate our own importance, where our worth is not determined by likes or comments. Considering instead how social media makes you feel and impacts your life. Whilst most of us recognize that social media is a rose-tinted version of reality, sometimes we need a reminder of how it can be the catalyst for negative emotions and thinking such as imposter syndrome.
We are more digitally connected than ever before, but more physically disconnected from ourselves and nature than ever too. Rebalancing this warped calculation of what being “enough” means is our journey through imposter hood.
Considering Our Expectations
The research on imposter syndrome and its sufferers suggests that high achievers are most at risk. Setting ourselves impossibly ambitious goals of excellence that are not achievable. Due to our constant strive for perfectionism, we feel severely inadequate when our unobtainable aims are just out of reach. This then perpetuates the idea that we are “not good enough” or don’t “measure up” in some way. This persistent striving, chips away at us until we are dealing with burnout and to a point where our motivation and mental health will struggle.
So, what can we do? – Let us reframe what is possible!
We often overestimate what we can achieve in a day and underestimate what we can achieve in a year. Start by splitting your day into small achievable tasks, for example, instead of aiming to complete the whole presentation today, plan to complete the research for your presentation.
Instead of decluttering your whole house, why not start with one area – one drawer or cupboard? Consider what is realistic and possible. By slowly building back our confidence in our own abilities we will change the negative loop of self-talk away from imposter syndrome.
Know Your Strengths
If you are living in a place of fear, and inadequacy, or feel you are a fraud or incompetent, it can be extremely hard to move to a place of growth. We can become stagnant in our false beliefs and need a reminder of our worth.
Conduct a self- audit– What are your unique talents? What are your top three strengths? What sets you apart? If you’re not sure, ask three people that are closest to you. You could use these talents to mentor others – you will be surprised at how much you know, and how valued your knowledge can be to others.
Start to celebrate every achievement, even the small ones. For every “win” you are building a path away from imposter syndrome.
However, let’s also celebrate the failures. On Elizabeth Day's amazing podcast and book “how to fail” her guests talk about their three biggest failures. Without doubt, these perceived failures lead to the breakthrough and understanding of the next chapter in their life. Elizabeth Day says, “Learning how to fail is actually learning how to succeed better – and everyone needs a bit of that!”
It is a reminder too that perfectionism is an unreachable illusion- to grow and learn is to be human. As our world and our digital reach appear increasingly larger – so do our expectations! When we doubt our knowledge, our worth and our achievements, we are giving away our power. Once we feel depleted, imposter hood can start to seep through the cracks.
There is a Japanese fable that explains that all broken pots in Japan are repaired with gold because they are made more valuable. Our perceived personal cracks, our “brokenness” makes us valuable and richer too. How we define these cracks is how we define our worth in life. These cracks are important, not as an opportunity to belittle our confidence further, but with repair comes a realignment of our journey to self-discovery.
Allow your journey to be your opportunity to break open and move forward in the belief in your own abilities, leaving imposter syndrome as only a catalyst for your own gold to shine through.
About Natalie
Natalie Walker Brimble is an author coach and podcaster who loves to support people to achieve their goals.
You can find her on Instagram, @natalie_walker_brim, or find out more on her website, NWB-coaching.com.
