On Feeling Like An Impostor

Have you ever felt like a fraud or an impostor?

I know I have and based upon conversations with past clients, I know many other people have as well. What is this sentiment that makes us feel like we are impostors?

For me, I sometimes feel that I have “tricked” others into thinking I am more knowledgeable than I actually am in a particular subject, even if I have studied that subject.

Psychology researchers Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes called this type of reaction to personal accomplishments as< the Impostor Syndrome.

It was particularly prevalent in high achieving woman but I believe anyone can be affected by this particular issue. It seems to mainly affect High Achievers, Low Achievers seem not to be bothered by this issue. I find that interesting.

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What are High Achievers attempting to attain anyway? Is it a sense of accomplishment at a particular goal or is there something deeper going on? I wonder if it comes down to fulfilling a need that cannot be fulfilled through an external accomplishment.

Some of the most miserable people I have ever worked with were business executives who had incredibly impressive resumes, yet their personal lives were in constant turmoil. Come to think of it, I probably look pretty impressive on paper as well, yet still struggle with this issue at times.

"We acquire the strength of that which we have overcome." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I created one Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (or CBT) based intervention that works well for me. Perhaps it will work for you.

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I have asked clients in the past to try it and many of them also found it very useful. Many times when we start questioning our accomplishments, this leads to more negative thinking about our lives which can lead to thinking ourselves as impostors or frauds. We have to stop this negative thinking pattern.

If you are an accomplished person, collect every tangible piece of achievement you have made (e.g. certificates, awards, degrees, licenses, letters of recommendation, outstanding evaluations, etc.) and place these items in a single laminated album or book.

Whenever you start questioning your competence or self-efficacy: take this “me book” out and look at it, confront these negative thoughts with it! Flip through the book and ask yourself; “would a fraud be able to accomplish this many things?”