Here’s a Little Secret; We All Have Imposter Thoughts
Have you ever wondered…
“How did I get here? Did I oversell my capabilities? What if they find out that I’m not all that great and they take it all back?”
If you have, then guess what? You’re not alone.
The Imposter Syndrome
According to a review article published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, an estimated 70% of people experience these Impostor Thoughts at some point in their lives.
And it’s not just us “mere mortals”. Well-known, very accomplished people (from Albert Einstein to Tom Hanks, Tina Fey and Neil Armstrong) who we admire (and who seem to have confidence to spare) have expressed their own battles with taming the Imposter Thinking in their brains.
First identified in 1978 by psychologists Dr. Pauline Rose Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes, the Impostor Phenomenon is the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications. In fact, Dr. Clance has a free assessment tool to help you identify at which level of the Imposter Phenomenon you are currently experiencing: TAKE THE TEST HERE !
Imposter Thoughts
For the record, I had a score of 65, which indicates that I frequently experience Imposter Thoughts.
As I reflect on the past 30+ years, I will say that my Imposter Thoughts were much more rampant in earlier in my career. The more I became experienced (and comfortable) in my role with trusted colleagues, the more confident I became to express my ideas and opinions.
However (for me,) age doesn’t necessarily make the Imposter Thoughts disappear. Each time that I jump off the deep end into unfamiliar territory with new people or new projects, I get a little precursor to anxiety.
I’m more self-aware now. That precursor is just a twinge rather than a full-blown, internal anxiety attack. I’ve taught myself to use that twinge as a reminder that I’m pushing myself to greatness and climbing to a new frontier that I have yet to discover.
Because that’s all it is, right. Thoughts of being an Imposter are just thoughts until we give them power and energy. The Harvard Professor and Social Psychologist, Amy Cuddy, uses the phrase: “Fake it until you become it.” Her words are so much more proactive and engaging than “Fake it until you make it.”
The ball is in your court!
How will you leverage your thoughts to further become all that you were put on this great planet to be? I’d love to know; contact me at dlandry@authentizity.com.
— Dawn F. Landry
Additional Resources
Below are other links if you’d like to learn more about the Imposter Experience (Syndrome or Phenomenon, as others have called it.)
