The Imposter Syndrome and How To Identify It

Have you ever woke up, opened your eyes, and all of a sudden your will is to go back to sleep because you feel like you don’t belong anywhere? Have you ever felt an almost illogical fear that your friends and colleagues will find out that you’re a fraud and everything you ever accomplished personal and professionally wasn’t anything else than luck and that you didn’t really deserved it?

Have you ever felt like you have to work yourself to exhaustion in your relationships because you were actually lucky to be with the person you’re with and you’re terrified that one day they’ll wake up and realize that you’re not really good for them?

If so, well, you’re in good company.

Although the exact amount of the world population that struggles with imposter syndrome is unknown, research suggests that up to 70% of people may experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. It affect all kinds of people regardless of gender, race, profession even social status.

What is The Imposter Syndrome?

The imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which people doubt their accomplishments and have an internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. People suffering from imposter syndrome are unable to internalise and accept their success and instead attribute it to luck or external factors beyond their control, sometimes even attributing it to a misjudgement of someone else (example when we achieve a better job or position).

Imposter syndrome can manifest in many ways. Some common signs of imposter syndrome include:

The Imposter Syndrome is not a disease and it is not necessarily linked to depressive or anxiety conditions or to self-esteem problems, however it manages to be disabling insofar as at certain levels, people who suffer from this syndrome might even end up boycotting themselves because they think it’s simply not worth it, because their company will one day know that they don’t deserve that job and will fire them or that person with whom they have a relationship will inevitably end for ending it because, well, they’re too good for them.

Everyone is susceptible to this pluralist ignorance phenomenon where everyone doubts themselves in private, but no one doubts themselves in public. This can lead to people going along with the majority opinion even if they disagree with it in an effort to fit in. This can lead to people not expressing their true opinions or feelings and can also lead to groupthink, where the group follows along with a single vision because no one expresses their true self doubts and concerns, spiralling into an underling groupthink feeling that we are all alone and we can’t just take the initiative and speak up for ourselves.

Since there is no easy way to know how much others are struggling, how hard they have to work, how difficult they find certain tasks, how much they doubt themselves too, there is no easy way to for a person not let themselves get carried away by feelings that they are less capable than anyone around them.

The imposter syndrome, specially the constant feeling of not belonging anywhere because we are not worth the achievements we got, might lead to the same consequence of low self-esteem and the fear of being judged. It can also lead to people not engaging in conversations or activities that could be beneficial to their growth and development. It can also lead to people avoiding taking risks or putting themselves in a position where they can be seen as successful. People with impostor syndrome may also be more likely to doubt their abilities and not take ownership of their successes.

And why this happens? Because we don’t share: the mere idea of exposing oursleves as vulnerables to anyone is the first assumption of failure. Which couldn’t be more wrong. The most effective way to combat pluralist ignorance and the imposter syndrome is to create an environment where people feel safe to express themselves and their opinions. This could include encouraging open dialogue, promoting discussion and debate, and creating a space where people feel comfortable to explore different ideas without fear of judgement. Additionally, it is important to foster a culture of acceptance and understanding where everyone is valued and respected. Finally, it is important to provide support and resources for those who are struggling with the imposter syndrome in order to help them to recognize their accomplishments and to build their self-confidence.

In the end, having the realisation that you are not alone and that everyone around you has their own struggles and fears is the first step to overcome, as a group, as a society this phenomen that unfortunately continues to grow and keeps limiting more and more people true potential.

The only certainty we can have in life is that we are not alone on the good stuf and, you might as well bet, on the bad stuff either.

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