The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made. -Groucho Marx
Have you ever felt like you were tricking everyone around you by pretending to be competent? Have you ever felt the sudden fear of being “found out” as a fraud instead of a professional? It’s quite a common experience. Many people feel as if they were not truly competent, as if they were “faking” it or fooling others. It’s called impostor syndrome.
An important thing to note before delving deeper is that having impostor syndrome doesn’t mean the person lacks the skills or the professional competence. Actually, it’s quite common for the one feeling like an impostor to be very good at their field. But it can reflect a worry and a difficulty evaluating one’s own skills.
It seems that many people of all walks of life struggle with impostor syndrome. Even those with a lot of recognition and reputation might feel unsure on the inside and worry constantly about being found out.
Where does impostor syndrome come from? There are different factors that contribute to it. But one is personality.
Impostor syndrome might be more common among people who value interpersonal harmony, those are more responsible, and those who are more prone to negative emotions.
People who worry a lot about doing a good job and are conscientious with their work may feel that their work is not up to standards, even if it is. Those more prone to negative emotions might feel worse about their work. And those who care about interpersonal harmony might be more likely to worry about others’ “noticing” that they are not good enough.
What does this mean? Some personality traits can make you more likely to experience impostor syndrome. It’s useful to pay attention to the way you perceive yourself in professional situations.
Don’t let yourself be swayed by these negative thoughts. The people who have impostor syndrome are very, very likely to actually be good and competent. So it’s important not to listen to the little voice that tells you otherwise.
Instead, focus on celebrating and recognizing your achievements. When other people compliment you, accept it: remember that others are not so easily fooled as impostor syndrome suggests. Instead, they might be seeing good things that you yourself are likely to miss.
