Here's a quick run-down on Impostor Syndrome and why you should make sure you are not limiting your life because of it!

 

 

 

What is impostor syndrome?

There are many people who have studied and created definitions on the subject. I will try to keep it simple:-

 

1) It is a competence issue

Impostor Syndrome is the persona you take up so you can see yourself as competent. Dr Valerie Young of the Impostor Syndrome Institute explained (on the impostor syndrome summit i ran between the 06th to 18th of June 2023), that the personas of Perfectionist, Soloist, Expert, Naturla Genius and Superhuman are taken-up by people who feel they need to be these personas first, before they can feel competent.

In short, you can be a perfectionist without having impostor syndrome.

 

2) It's a grouping of limiting beliefs

Many people facing impostor syndrome suffer from Poor self-image, situational anxiety, fear of new experiences or challenges, self-doubt leading to low self-confidence, Procrastination, Over-learning, and eventual burnout.

 

3) The persistent inability to believe that ones success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved due to ones own efforts or skills.

 

People with impostor Syndrome attribute their success to their luck, not skills.

 

 

4) Also known as the imposter phenomenon, fraud syndrome, or imposter experience - describes someone who feels they are not as capable as others think, and they fear they will be exposed.

 

Who Get's Impostor Syndrome?

 

All people are susceptible to Impostor Syndrome - male or female. It does not respect your industry, age, geographical location, race or other considerations.

 

How does it develop? The short answer; Mind-patterns.

 

Let me explain - When you internalize what you have received externally through negative opinion, environment, unsupportive societal structure, societal pressures to conform, upbringing and other factors. These factors become the turning point to changing your plans, abandoning success, living in fear of taking risk and keeping yourself from going after your dreams, and goals.

 

Can you change your mind patterns?

 

These mind-patterns are specific to your individual life experience and can be explained through a healing process of learning, unlearning and learning; learn how you got into these mind patterns, unlearn these limiting beliefs and in their place, learn new beliefs systems.

 

What is impostor syndrome, NOT?

 

It is not a disease. The word syndrome scares people into thinking it's an illness. However, in reality, a syndrome is a characteristic combination of opinions, emotions, or behavior. I have set up a series of myths that I have busted on Impostor syndrome and what it's not. Check them out here!

 

Have any questions about Impostor Syndrome? Share in the comments!

 

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