What is Impostor Syndrome?
The definition of Impostor Fraud: {via wikipedia} a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a "fraud".
“70% of men and women define themselves as feeling like a fraud. That number goes up if you are a racial or ethnic minority.”
I recently spoke at a conference for women in business on impostor fraud. The audience was a group of successful women from all ages and experience levels. I asked them one question and asked them to write their responses down anonymously…
THIS WAS THE QUESTION:
I FEEL, OR HAVE FELT, LIKE AN
IMPOSTOR WHEN….
AND THEIR RESPONSES BELOW:
“I got called into my boss’s office and I thought he was going to tell me all the things I wasn’t good at. I was worried he’d ask me to list projects I didn’t do well with. Instead he said what a good job I was doing and gave me a raise. “
“I am given recognition for a job well done. I feel that it is my job and I am paid for that job so I shouldn’t get special recognition for that job. Everyone does their job and doesn’t get set apart. Though I don’t mind pointing out others success.”
“I started my PhD program, I was also finishing final edits of my Masters Thesis. I spent three months terrified my professors would realize they made a mistake accepting me into the program and kick me out.”
“As a qualified financial planner trying to help my clients.”
“I feel inadequate as an employee and manager when asked to deliver a training to staff.”
“as an expert in anything, I’m a “dabbler”.”
“I was promoted to Director with a staff to “direct”. Who was I to be that assertive?”
“I am in a professional position. Teaching courses. Being a parent. Being in elite crowds. Being in a white family as a person of color.”
“At my job where I am very under qualified but I am expected to have years of knowledge about this topic.”
“As a graduate student. As a friend. As a wife. As an athlete/teammate.”
“….even though I keep putting myself in leadership roles in group projects.”
“in class, getting high grades and thinking that I somehow cheated the system because I’m really not all that smart.”
“as a mom and a guide for my children.”
“I got my current position through an unconventional way, the back door.”
“At church (as a Pastor), where people think I know more than I do.”
“because I’m not as smart as my grades make me look, I just got lucky.”
“public speaking.”
“at professional meetings.”
“My grades are good, great even. They don’t reflect what I actually know.”
Are you starting to see you aren’t alone?
I’m not sharing these quotes for you to be like, yes, me too — and to connect on pain and being a victim. But to see that you are not alone and that by knowing this - you can actually rise above these thoughts and look at them from a new perspective.
For steps to transform these thoughts into wisdom, scroll to the bottom. To continue reading other peoples stories just keep reading. You’ll hit the transformation piece.
“people tell me I’m great at my job, but it comes naturally to me so I don’t have to try very hard.”
“getting more degrees to feel more qualified and educated for jobs. Not confident in my knowledge.”
“working as an intern at my new job.”
“when leading charities.”
“I give presentations and have to babble to answer questions to look like I know what I’m talking about.”
“at work when my male coworkers doubt my abilities. When I’m not able to share my thoughts due to fear.”
How are these landing with you? Have you ever felt this way?
keep reading below for more…
“at my first job. I felt like a kid dressed up in my parents clothes. I didn’t think I knew what I was talking about and I had to fake it with old wealthy male executives.”
“first year as an associate at a public accounting firm.”
“during my entire college career. I actually have no idea what I am doing. I am faking it, until I make it.”
“in class when I was ahead of most kids my age because of running start, yet I felt like I shouldn’t have been there because the classes I took didn’t teach me enough.”
“while I’m trying to achieve something for my club.. when I’m doing a speech… when I want to convince someone about something.”
“being a business manager and advising other business owners on running their businesses and marketing strategies.”
“taking my first real account job. I was very independent and was afraid of failure.”
“I only share good things with family and friends and not the tough stuff. Also, when I sit in on meetings and don’t really know what’s going on.”
“as an officer in (….), I felt my ideas weren’t as good and I didn’t actually deserve to be there.”
“talking with my daughter about how to be treated… . and knowing I did not follow that advice.”
“I didn’t believe I would ever be good enough to teach.”
“Being “strong” planning my dad’s funeral at 21 years old.”
Do any of these relate? Do you have your own story to add?
My hope is that you will start seeing that you aren’t alone. That we all have these feelings, in order to start normalizing them.
We are not meant to know what we have not done or learned before. It’s as simple as that.
Let that really sink in.
There is an old quote:
“Knowledge without action is wastefulness and action without knowledge is foolishness.“
— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
Which I think we have taken too far. I believe feeling like an impostor is thinking you don’t have enough knowledge — and really the only way to know how much knowledge you have on the topic, is by taking action… So if you really follow the above “action without knowledge is foolishness” it’s asking us to be really sure that we have the knowledge or we will look foolish.
And isn’t that the fear of many of us? That we may look foolish? How does one even know if they have enough knowledge? I know personally, I am a researcher — a reader, a knowledge seeker. I, unfortunately, always feel there is something else to learn. Partially because I’m so curious, there is literally always something new for me to learn.
My goal, and my goal for you, is to dabble more in showing up and taking the action vs. learning more.
I guarantee you if you are reading this far done, you might be like me.
You know enough. I swear. Now is the time to get out there and take action.
3 Steps to Taking Inspired Action:
Pay attention to your day dream and/or ideas. If you can dream it, then it’s in your field of possibility.
Take one step towards that day dream, as a physical action. Buy the book, talk to the person, do the thing.
Notice the impact of the outcome Passion comes after you try something and motivation is deciding you are going to do something and committing to it. Don’t put some magical experience around doing a task — most likely you won’t want to start, will be able to talk yourself out of it, think it’s a bad idea… etc. etc. etc. It’s up to you to do the thing and then afterwards determine the outcome.
As you take action; as you get some wins under your belt, the “motivation” will get easier as you’ll get a glimpse into what’s on the other side which will inspire you to take more action, starting a chain of action and response, creating more pride and confidence in your role.
Remember: if you knew perfectly how to do the thing, you’d probably be bored with the thing, and ready to move on to the next thing that you don’t know how to do…
— me (jessica burnett mcclure)
Additional Resources regarding impostor syndrome:
Article: Stop-telling-women-they-have-impostor-syndrome
Article: breaking-the-cycle-of-impostor-fraud
Youtube: the_one_thing_no_one_told_you_about_the_impostor_syndrome