Imposter Syndrome: Your Superpower?

While there is some research about Imposter Syndrome (1) and the reasons it affects highly skilled individuals in diverse work environments, rarely do they address a big question? What NEXT? How do you move on and combat the constant feeling of inadequacy after accomplishing all there is to achieve? Furthermore, is it possible to make Imposter Syndrome your SUPERPOWER? Before discussing the how and why of this crazy idea, it is important to highlight a limitation to the discourse on this topic. In a meeting when everyone talks about their struggles with imposter syndrome, the actuality of everyone’s experience is so powerful and consuming that it leaves little room to transcend the symptomatic debilitating experience. Most articles around the subject describe with great detail how societal factors, ambition, career stage, mental health all contribute to feelings of inadequacy. While I don’t disagree with the need to identify and attribute feelings of self-doubt to a  “term” ( described in our previous blog), it is critical to discuss and delineate specific mechanisms to use imposter syndrome as a tool to develop skills to combat it. 

How can Imposter Syndrome be your SUPERPOWER? Since at the very core of imposter syndrome is the feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt caused by a lack of self-realization, understanding the factors or instances that lead up to it can help you move forward. Depending on the situation, it is important to realize that the current situation is a snapshot in the large continuum of work, and no matter how difficult, you will figure it out. Many times, returning to your core principles and working the problem can help steady the ship and allay feelings of self-doubt (2-3). Lastly, spending time to reflect on the instances that trigger feelings of self-doubt and reaffirming the positives in those moments can help you thrive in the position you worked so hard to achieve. For more strategies to make Imposter Syndrome your SUPERPOWER, listen to our episode on Spotify at PhDefined.

References:

1)    Contextualizing the Impostor “Syndrome” https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.575024/full

2)    Four tips to ward off impostor syndrome- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02408-z

3)    10 steps you can use to overcome impostor syndrome- https://impostorsyndrome.com/10-steps-overcome-impostor/