“I just got lucky,” “They did not mean that,” and “ I don’t deserve it”— do these sound familiar? It's time for a little self-check, you might be struggling with Impostor Syndrome.
Feeling incompetent from time to time isn't so bad if it's used as a way to humble ourselves and make room for improvement. But if it starts to appear as a recurring thought, a little self-check must be made; you might be suffering from Impostor Syndrome.
For starters, Impostor Syndrome refers to an internal experience where a person downgrades him or herself repeatedly. The term was first used by psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970s.
More often than not, people with Impostor Syndrome possess the following characteristics:
- He, she, or they agonise over the smallest mistakes or flaws in work
- Attribute their success to luck or outside factors
- Very sensitive to criticism.
- Afraid that they will inevitably be found out as a phoney
- Downplay their own expertise, even in areas where they are genuinely more skilled than others.
Research by the Journal of General Internal Medicine said that about 82 per cent of people reported that they felt the Impostor Mentality at some point in their lives. This syndrome is particularly common among minority groups and women.
Read more: How to cope with mental health problems
Fresh out of college, I quickly landed a job as a news reporter in a major daily; something I didn’t think I deserved. The nature of the industry is unforgiving. It had no room for mistakes, no time for siestas, and there was no refuge for the timid.
Related: Mental Health Check: How To Move Past "Languishing" And Thrive Once Again
The competition was thrilling but it was so tough that when a boss or a colleague complimented me, my default response was to crumble. My mind constantly played phrases such as “I just got lucky,” “they did not mean that,” and “ I don’t deserve it” so much that I nearly made statement shirts out of them.
Now, I would be lying if I said that I have finally mustered the courage to shrug my insecurities off. I have not [entirely] moved on from this mentality, but I am slowly learning how important it is to surround myself with individuals who value mistakes and progress as much as success and achievements.
Read also: Why Mental Health Should Be A Holistic Lifestyle Priority
