Impostor syndrome is that thing we all feel once in a while (sometimes very regularly) in which we doubt our accomplishments and skills, and have the persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud” or a “scam”. Impostor syndrome aka I feel like a fraud.
If you struggle with it, then you’ll relate to one or more of these points.
1. Without any trigger, you automatically feel like a fraud.
2. Thinking that your employers are about to find out that you’re the fraud you think you are.
3. Naming the price of a service you offer.
You second guess yourself because you think you’re not worth it and imagine the client feels the same way.
4. When you’re given a responsibility or task.
You’re shocked because you don’t know why anyone trusts you with such a responsibility.
5. When someone compliments you.
6. When you win an award or get some other kind of recognition for your work.
You tell yourself, well maybe that award wasn’t that big a deal or convince yourself it was a mistake and that you shouldn’t have won it. You do anything to downplay it.
7. You think you don’t know anything and everyone else knows a shitload.
8. When someone invites you to speak on a panel.
Or they invite you to an event where people you think are big shots are.
9. You automatically think you’re not qualified for stuff.
10. Here’s some consolation:
Have you experienced impostor syndrome before? How did you feel? How did you get over it? Leave a comment and share.