The title of this post could relate to any area of your life but where it really shows up in my counselling practice is around career issues. So, as summer comes to an end and people prepare to return to work and routines, I thought it would be good to discuss this subject a little more.
Imposter syndrome showcases the difference in confidence between your internal experience of yourself and the competent and capable individual that shows up to the office.
How it catches me by surprise
Sometimes it genuinely surprises me when a client raises their imposter syndrome. That’s because I can tell from our discussions about their current position and work history that they’re good at their job.
I see how imposter syndrome presents in people who are great employees. Those who care about their input and are talented at what they do. That gap between what they feel about themselves inside and the external reality can really shine through. The persistent self-doubt keeps nagging them even when there’s little or no evidence for it.
It’s a state of mind.
The label as a default setting
Sometimes the badge of imposter syndrome seems easy for a client to reach for. It’s a label they can readily grab when they’re feeling low, managing difficult emotions, or dealing with work issues.
It becomes this ready-made story that’s easy to pull off the shelf. That reason why they feel out of sorts when things get tough. There’s a sense of someone throwing their hands up in the air and saying ‘oh it’s my imposter syndrome – it means I can’t do it!’.
The individual can use it as a catch-all but it doesn’t provide any real answers or lasting comfort. It means they don’t have to process what’s actually happening. It’s a bit of a ‘lazy’ answer.
Assessing the evidence
One of the things I do with clients who have imposter syndrome is to sit with them and look at the evidence. Often getting my sketch pad out and producing a mind map together is a great way to lay it all out and debate each point.
Once the issues that they’re grappling with have been captured and we’ve worked through what’s actually going on, the evidence for their imposter syndrome often doesn’t stack up as a valid argument.
What’s underneath the label
For some, imposter syndrome can go hand in hand with perfectionism, a harsh inner critic and a tendency to low mood. Over time, pulling out the imposter syndrome label can be an automatic reflex. It just fires up when things get difficult without much in the way of conscious thought or reality check.
For others, it can be less of an ongoing pattern and triggered more by specific situations. These might be moments when they feel exposed in their role or have the spotlight shining on them for some reason. Instead of easing into the challenge or basking in the glow, this visibility makes them feel deeply uncomfortable.
In these circumstances they become more likely to be visible and that increases the likelihood of feedback, whether complimentary or critical. It’s this discomfort from increased exposure that activates their imposter syndrome.
Trying it for yourself
So, if imposter syndrome is a phrase you often say about yourself, next time it crops up you might want to pause and look at the evidence.
Is it actually true? Take a calm, kind look at the evidence for and against. What substantiates the label and what is there against it?
Sometimes it can help to check in with a safe friend or colleague about the specific situation that’s triggered it. Getting some balanced input can offer you a clearer, more honest reflection than the one you’re giving yourself.
Or perhaps it’s simpler than that. Perhaps it’s just a particularly busy, stressful stretch right now, and the label is standing in for something that’s quickly solvable rather than a fundamental doubt about your own competence.
