According to a study, 84% of entrepreneurs, especially when they are successful, are afflicted with impostor syndrome.
American social psychologist Amy Cuddy in her research discovered that the majority of people are worried that their family and colleagues will discover that they are an imposter – they are not as competent as others think they are. Surprisingly, a greater percentage of male entrepreneurs experience the imposter syndrome in comparison to women.
Therefore, it is imperative to know how to overcome impostor syndrome. But before that, let us understand exactly what is imposter syndrome. Meta’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg once said, “Every time I took a test, I was sure that it had gone badly. And every time I didn’t embarrass myself — or even excelled — I believed that I had fooled everyone yet again. One day soon, the jig would be up … This phenomenon of capable people being plagued by self-doubt has a name — the impostor syndrome.” Accomplished comedienne and writer Tina Fey has described the imposter phenomenon as oscillating between extreme self-doubt and egomania.
The impostor phenomenon was first discovered by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978. Dr Clance then created the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) to determine how strongly people were affected by this phenomenon. A study by Kajabi of approximately 600 US participants who took the CIPS revealed that out of the 84% entrepreneurs with imposter syndrome, male entrepreneurs experienced extremely intense feelings, 30% greater than that of women.
Read on for a few steps on to how to overcome imposter syndrome:
1. Know the symptoms or signs
Many individuals who have imposter syndrome (IS) admit that they grew up in families that pushed them to success. Although what causes imposter syndrome is not entirely clear, people admit to feelings of inadequacy that make it difficult for them to accept praise or take delight in their success. Individuals with IS state that although they prepare well and get the wanted results, they feel “lucky.” They sometimes feel like they’ve managed to fool others and have no special talent or ability. These individuals also experience a paralyzing fear of failure and worry whether they can repeat the success they achieved “by fluke.”
A 2021 KPMG study found that 75% of female executives personally experienced imposter syndrome at certain points in their career.
2. Bell the Cat
It is important to be able to distinguish between humility and a sense of meekness driven by fear. Rick Warren says it best, “true humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” On the other hand, imposter syndrome forces you to focus on yourself and causes unwanted stress and you are constantly worried about replicating said achievement. You do not feel worthy or talented and think of ways to keep the momentum going before being “found out.” Negative self-talk can have an adverse impact on one’s mental and physical health. As doctors say, diagnosing the problem is half the cure. It is important to recognize and label the problem, before working to overcome it.
3. Let Go of Your Inner Perfectionist
The imposter syndrome magnifies our insecurities and tries to convince us that we are committing fraud. After identifying the problem, it is important to remember that you are not alone in this. Experts recommend noting down one’s accomplishments and the compliments you receive from others. Self-affirmation is another tactic to reduce stress. A study found that undergraduate students who took part in a self-affirmation exercise, where they wrote an essay about their main values two weeks before an important exam, managed to perform better on their exam. Meditation is also key to being attuned to one’s thoughts and feelings. When you are aware of your mental state, you can take steps to remedy the situation. Self-awareness is imperative to self-mastery. Turning to a trusted friend or mentor also helps overcome imposter syndrome.
Examples of people with impostor syndrome range from scientist Ralph Waldo Emerson to Oscar winner Meryl Streep. One thing they have all shown us is that it is possible to overcome the feeling, by continuing to put in our best. Experts recommend taking time out to sift through facts and feelings to weed out imposter syndrome.
