If you’ve ever had a day where you feel like a fraud, you don’t deserve the successes you’re enjoying, or perhaps you think you’re not that talented or clever as people seem to think you are, you may be suffering from impostor syndrome. You may not realise it had a name and when people discover impostor syndrome, the penny drops, and there is immense relief that they are not alone, and hundreds of people feel just the same way. But unfortunately, it can be quite challenging to recognise impostor syndrome because you believe these feelings of doubt. Therefore, instead of realising it is impostor syndrome, you start to think you are no good.
The Signs of Imposter Syndrome
Generally, more women feel impostor syndrome than their male counterparts, primarily where they work in a predominantly male environment. Ironically, the higher achieving someone is, the worse it can hit them. That’s not to say that men don’t suffer, so if you’re a bloke, don’t stop reading because this may be relevant. One of the standard features of impostor syndrome feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. I don’t deserve this is one of the most common things I hear when dealing with impostor syndrome. So naturally, over the whole of our lives, there will be times when everyone suffers from a crisis of confidence, but it could be a sign of impostor syndrome when it’s constant and ongoing.
