Have you ever felt like you have achieved more than you deserved, or maybe that the people around you think you are someone you believe you are not? Do you fear being discovered or have you felt doubt about your own experience? Do you feel incompetent doing your job? If the answer to some of these questions is yes, then you may have imposter syndrome, and hopefully, this post can help you.

Imposter syndrome (IS) is a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals. National Library of Medicine

Or in simpler words, you feel like you are living a life that is not yours. Feeling that all your success is thanks to an external force, but all failures belong to you.

How can it affect you?

Imposter syndrome is a significant problem that is rarely mentioned in any space due to the shameful nature that hides behind this phenomenon. Here are some of the effects it can bring:

Anxiety and fear of being discovered
Job quitting
Work dissatisfaction
Atychiphobia (Fear of Failure)
Achievemephobia (Fear of Success)
Depression
Burnout

And much more. That's why I decided to write about it. All of us have suffered from anxiety at some point in our lives. But some of us have experienced this phenomenon and didn't know what to do. We didn't even know that this is something that can be talked about.

My personal experience

According to a 2011 research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, an estimated 70 percent of people experience impostor syndrome at one point in their lives. Team Blind

Did you know that 58% of tech workers feel like impostors? I didn't know, and I would have liked to know it a few years ago.

This was my first serious job working for a tech company. I started as a Frontend developer, and a couple of months later, nine to be exact, I was working as a Team Leader. It was crazy; there were people who reported to me. I was in planning meetings, directly interacting with the client, proposing solutions, and solving problems on a bigger scale. And it's true that I was enjoying it; in the end, I was doing what I love. But there was something in the back of my mind that took a will to stop appearing, a year to be exact. The feeling of not being enough. To make things even worse, the voice wasn't only in my mind. There were people who were furious because I, with just nine months inside the company, was a team leader with a higher seniority than them.

I felt anxious. At some point, I considered quitting or even telling my boss that I wasn't the right person for the position. But I decided to continue, motivated by something that my mom used to say.

We are forged in the flames of the circumstances. - My mom

What helped me and what can help you

Before moving on, what I would suggest is that if you are feeling like this, the best thing you can do is not to come to hasty conclusions, and first of all, consult a professional. A good therapist is always great.

Introspection and self-reflection

This is by far one of the best weapons that everybody has in their arsenal when it comes to dealing with IS. Just be alone, be quiet, and make enough silence and time for your mind to talk to you. Once it comes, listen and analyze and think about the things it says as objectively and seriously as you can. The root of imposter syndrome is connected with the lack of responsibility that we attribute to ourselves when it comes to success. When you practice this exercise, try to keep that in mind.

Challenge your inner critic

Another way to attack the root of the problem is by looking for evidence. If you are feeling like an impostor, stop, breathe, calm down, and then ask yourself if you have evidence to confirm what you are saying about yourself and your own success. Probably, you won't be able to find anything worth mentioning, and that is fantastic.

Be grateful

This is easy but really good, not only for people experiencing IS, but for all of us. Celebrate your milestones, celebrate your success, and try to keep in mind that the most important thing in life is enjoying the journey.

In order to do this, you can keep a diary, or notes, or anything really that you can come back to later and that will help you remember all the things you have achieved. While you are writing these memories, try to keep in mind that you need to enjoy the moment because the goal will always move, and even if you reach it, something else will come after that.

Self-compassion

Last but not least, try to treat yourself with the same compassion and love that you would treat a friend who is having a hard time. The last thing you need when you are feeling down is yourself not helping you.

The end

I wanted to write this post because many of us have heard the term Imposter Syndrome before, but even then, most of us ignore the deep meaning of it. Hopefully, this post will help someone to avoid falling into the trap of IS.

If you enjoyed the post, consider sharing, liking, and commenting. And if it was helpful in any way, please help me to:

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Before you go

I almost forgot, if you need help with your personal projects, have an idea, and want to consult with someone, I have seven years of experience as a software developer, more than two years playing the entrepreneurship game, and I try to learn something new every day. So:

Image Credit

Go check Gianfranco Grenar work, he is amaizing.

You may have imposter syndrome