Signs You’re Feeling Imposter Syndrome

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a term that gained prominence in the 1970s. It’s the term used to describe the phenomenon of internally feeling as if you aren’t as competent or amazing as others might believe you are. It has been linked to issues with achievement, intelligence, social cues, and even perfectionism. Another way to look at it is that if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you’ll feel like a fraud/fake/phony, or as if you have only achieved the things you’ve achieved in your life because of dumb luck or riding on others’ coattails.

Imposter syndrome can come for everyone, no matter their work experience, skill level, schooling experience, or financial or social status.

Imposter Syndrome Signs

There are common signs that you might be suffering from imposter syndrome, so read on to see if any of these fit with how you’re feeling:

Can’t Judge Your Abilities Accurately

If you find that you’re the type of person who consistently minimizes your skills, it might be that you’re not accurately judging your abilities. To look at it another way, let’s say that you have 20 years of experience in marketing… yet when someone asks about your abilities, you – earnestly – claim that you are not as skilled as your 20 years of experience would otherwise prove.

Think You’ve Only Succeeded Due to Luck

Let’s refer back to that earlier phenomenon where despite your 20 years of experience, you doubt your ability to succeed in your profession of marketing. Part of why you might feel this way is because you believe that every success you’ve found in your life is only due to external factors beyond your control. To look at it another way, you may only believe that you’ve received any success in your life because you’ve been lucky a few times.

Despite there being evidence to the contrary, you may only believe that your successes in life are due to the actions of others, or despite the actions you’ve taken. If you think back on what you’ve accomplished in life and find yourself automatically discounting your efforts, you might be suffering from imposter syndrome.

Constantly Thinking About What to Do Better (Even When You’re Winning)

Another main sign of imposter syndrome is feeling as if you can always be doing better than you currently are. Even if you’re successful, able to pay your bills, due for a promotion at work, and have a loving partner at home… there’s always that thought in the back of your brain that says you can always do more or always do better.

Consequences of Imposter Syndrome

There are a few individuals who can find their motivation bolstered by imposter syndrome, but for many, imposter syndrome will only leave them with constant anxiety and a constant feeling that they’ll never be good enough. This feeling drives many people to overwork themselves, push aside signs of burnout and a lack of mental wellness, and otherwise be too hard on themselves to live a healthy life.

Additionally, imposter syndrome isn’t a one-and-done sort of experience. Just because you succeed at something once doesn’t mean that your imposter syndrome will go away. In truth, you’ll likely double down after a success – due to that feeling of luck and unworthiness – and start the vicious cycle anew. Anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation are likely to follow when one is experiencing imposter syndrome.

If these feelings are resonating with you, talk to your therapist or get in touch with us.