Research suggests that up to 70% of people experience Impostor Syndrome at some point in their careers. You can break loose from the cycle of self-doubt and embrace your true potential. Let’s discuss how positivity can help cultivate self-belief.
What is the Impostor Syndrome?
It’s the persistent feeling of being a fraud, despite evidence of success and competence.
Key Elements:
- Fear of being exposed as inadequate. (Worrying that you are a fraud.)
- Attributing success to luck, timing, or other external factors. (Discounting your skills, abilities, and efforts.)
- Perfectionism and overachieving. (Setting impossibly high standards that reinforces the feeling of inadequacy.)
- Difficulty accepting praise or recognition. (Dismissing compliments for achievements.)
Why Does the Impostor Syndrome Affect Women More?
- Women often face a “double bind” where they are expected to be both competent and likable. Assertiveness can be perceived negatively in women, leading to self-doubt about their leadership style.
- Traditional gender roles can lead women to undervalue their achievements or prioritize the needs of others over their own professional advancement.
- Societal pressure on women’s appearance can contribute to feelings of insecurity and self-consciousness, distracting from their actual accomplishments.
How do we combat the inner critic?
- One powerful tool to address the Impostor Syndrome is Positive Intelligence (PQ), a program developed by Shirzad Chamine. PQ focuses on strengthening your mental muscles to handle challenges with positivity and resilience.
- At the heart of PQ are two key concepts, Saboteurs and Sage. Saboteurs are the negative thought patterns that undermine your confidence and trigger the feelings of the Impostor Syndrome. The most common Saboteur is the Judge, the universal critic that finds fault with you, others, and circumstances. Other common Saboteurs include the Pleaser (seeking validation from others), the Hyper-Achiever (driven to exceed expectations), and the Stickler (striving for perfection).
- The Sage represents your positive mental muscles and is composed of empathy, curiosity, innovation, and focus. It helps you respond to challenges with a more balanced and positive shift in perspective.
- With PQ, you recognize your negative thought patterns, and when Saboteurs hijack you, it helps you challenge the validity of the negativity. PQ helps you build positive mental muscles to reframe challenges.
- Sage empowers your empathy and allows you to be kind and understanding with yourself and lets you make mistakes without beating yourself up.
- As your Sage increases, you see challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. You cope with challenges and move past your internal critics.
Summary
The Impostor Syndrome can be a common experience of leadership, but it’s not a life sentence. If we understand the negative triggers of self-doubt and how we can be hijacked by our internal critics, we can reframe these thoughts and break free from the cycle of feeling like a fraud and ultimately celebrate our real accomplishments.