Imposter Syndrome: How To Recognize It?
You work hard, get promoted or achieve the highest grades at college, develop your skills, everyone praises you. At the same time, you feel like you’re cheating on everyone and don’t really deserve it, and what you have is just a happy coincidence.
In this situation, most likely you have encountered imposter syndrome. Many students and young professionals have it, as in general they don’t have that much life experience and may not understand themselves. In this article, we will talk about what is imposter syndrome and how to deal with it.
What Is An Imposter Syndrome?
Despite your best efforts, you feel that all this is very difficult for you, and you really can’t do anything. Management, colleagues, or professors at your educational institution admire the results of your growth, but you do not leave the belief that this is a deception of yourself and your environment. You tell everyone that you are satisfied with your work, but you feel that these are false words.
This is how the imposter syndrome manifests itself. You feel worse and worse, even after compliments and positive feedback, you immediately reproach yourself that they are untrue, you do not deserve them. This situation makes you feel terrible, but how does it affect your effectiveness?
Why Does Imposter Syndrome Occur?
Imposter syndrome is exacerbated by free and unrestricted access to the Internet and information. No matter how well you do something, you will easily find someone today who does it even better! And then you blame yourself for the lack of professionalism.
In addition, in many cases, only the result is visible, not the way to get it. Like, for example, if you need to complete an important academic paper. You go on Instagram and see that your buddy has already finished, and you have not even started yet. That’s where the imposter syndrome comes. But, just remember that there are always ways in which you can make your academic life easier by hiring a professional essay writer. In this way, you will be able to achieve a good result in a short period of time and also have time for other academic assignments and final team projects.
However, you do not know how much time and effort it took someone to reach this level, but you take the end result and compare it with your own. Of course, this will make you stop believing in your own abilities.
At the beginning of the training, you process lots of information. It seems to you that you are constantly evolving, learning something new every day. At some point, you have already reached a certain level in this field, learning takes on a different meaning: you solve academic or work problems and do not even know that at this point you have also acquired new information or skills. And it seems to you that you are standing still and your development has stopped.
How To Overcome The Imposter Syndrome?
First of all, don’t be afraid to discuss this issue. If you tell your friend or superior about your problem, they will express their own vision. Perhaps their position will open your eyes and make you believe in yourself and your abilities. Do not think that if you admit your doubts, it will result badly for you.
Since many people value you, this is not unreasonable and there are good reasons for it. Cases when someone insincerely praises you are actually very rare and rare. You need to learn to be thankful and realize that you are doing well.
Stop watching others on the Internet and compare them with yourself. Everyone goes their own way and at their own pace. Understand, it is impossible to succeed in one night, everyone puts a lot of effort, time to become an expert.
You also need to realize that you do not need to know and be able to do everything. If you do not understand something that others are talking about – no problem! In the end, you can find out later, or just ask colleagues. We are all surrounded by a huge amount of information noise, something new is constantly appearing and no one can immediately comprehend, remember and learn it.
You should not doubt yourself and despair of your own strengths and capabilities, it will exhaust you psychologically and you might have a breakdown. So do not succumb to the imposter syndrome and fight the distorted vision of their own skills and abilities!
