Not Letting Imposter Syndrome Win

Much has been written about imposter syndrome already so I’m not going to add yet another blog to the archive about what it is! What I’m focusing on is how to combat the enemy from within and turn down the volume on those negative thoughts.

Imposter syndrome hits us when we’re uncertain about our ability, making us feel vulnerable and inadequate. When we venture outside our comfort zone, it’s natural to feel a mixture of emotions from exhilaration through to terror, which is where we see the biggest impact to our personal growth. No pain, no gain, right? So how do we give ourselves permission to be ‘good enough’?

As an Executive Coach, I usually begin with the following questions.

• What evidence is there that you can’t do this job/task/role.......?
• What evidence exists to confirm you are able to do this job/task/role ......?
• What would help to convince you that you can do this job/task/role…...?

Exploring whether there is a real reason, or just a perception you can’t do something, is a good place to start as perceptions can be challenged whereas lack of ability may be a result of insufficient knowledge or experience. Experience comes with time and knowledge can be gained if you’re aware of what it is you don’t know therefore understanding what might be going on allows strategies to be formed.

Reminding yourself that others think you’re capable is a useful way of building confidence. Would your boss have recommended you for promotion if they didn’t think you deserved it, or would your application have been approved if you hadn’t convinced one or more people of your capability? Recalling the validation of others is a useful way of providing balance to your inner critic who tells you that you aren’t good enough. Often, we place more importance on what others think rather than ourselves whether it be positive or negative perspectives however by harnessing  the positive beliefs and remembering that someone out there thinks you can do this is helpful.

Creating a plan for how to keep imposter syndrome at bay is important because there will be times when you let your guard down and it sneaks back in. It may be as simple as working with a mentor to help fill the knowledge gaps or identifying a go-to person who will tell you how great you are when you need it. People have different ways of tackling this therefore working with an Executive Coach to discover what would be right for you is time well spent.

I’m not suggesting that just answering these questions will make your imposter syndrome magically disappear, but they will provide some useful insights as to why you don’t feel worthy, which is a good place to start. Working with an experienced qualified Executive Coach helps to build confidence and develop a can-do attitude so if you think I can help you please call me on 075959 17634 or email me; wendy@bawdenhowe.co.uk.