Top Tips for Handling Imposter Syndrome In The Workplace

Dealing with some anxiety in the workplace isn’t just common, it’s downright normal! But there’s a separate but very similar issue that, while also very common, can be more difficult to deal with than some simple butterflies in the stomach: Imposter Syndrome. Imposter Syndrome is basically feeling like you’re unworthy, incompetent, or that you’re a fraud somehow. You don’t deserve success or accolades, you’ve only gotten lucky up to this point, and any minute now everyone will notice that you’re not actually as good as they think you are. Imposter Syndrome is incredibly common for people to deal with at some point in their lives and it’s also very pernicious and hard to get rid of. We want to help you with that, though, so read on to find our top five tips for fighting Imposter Syndrome in the workplace.

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1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

One of the places a lot of people go wrong with negative emotions — and it’s an easy mistake to make — is to shove the feeling away, try and ignore it, or try and force yourself to feel another way. Suffice it to say, that doesn’t work, and it’s not the healthiest way of dealing with your emotions. Imposter Syndrome comes with a lot of anxiety, and even when you’re aware that it’s caused by Imposter Syndrome, that doesn’t make the anxiety magically go away or make you feel any better. We recommend that, as a first step, you acknowledge and accept whatever feelings you may have. Once you have accepted them, it becomes much easier to move on and start working towards feeling better, but if you ignore them you can’t begin.

2. Look at the Facts

Imposter Syndrome is all about your brain filtering the world. Instead of seeing things the way they actually are, you see things the way you’re afraid they might be: your coworkers don’t actually like you, your work isn’t actually that good, people are being nice and lying when they tell you that you did well. One thing it’s helpful to try when combating Imposter Syndrome is to refocus on the fact and take an inventory of what you know is true versus what might be your imagination. Are you really as unskilled as you think? Why would your boss keep you in this position if you were really an imposter? It can be a difficult exercise, but focusing on the facts is one great way to fight imposter syndrome in the workplace.

3. Validate Yourself

Imposter Syndrome is basically your brain firing off a long stream of reasons you’re inadequate or not good enough at you. One of the best ways we know to counter that is pretty simple: compliment yourself a bunch! You can do this in many different ways. Try and think of the parts of yourself you’re proud of or parts of your work you know you did well. Alternatively, you can look back on positive feedback you’ve received from friends and coworkers, even little things like timeliness or good fashion sense. Sometimes all it takes to start pushing back against Imposter Syndrome is to get the ball rolling with a compliment or two, so find something to love about yourself and hold tight to it.

4. Talk With Others

It may be stressful but we can’t emphasize enough how powerful it can be to share your anxieties with someone else. Imposter Syndrome thrives off you being alone in your head and spiraling deeper and deeper into your worries. Anything that takes you out of that place is a big help — like talking to other people for instance! Whether it’s friends, family, or coworkers, confide in people about the way you’re feeling and how you’re struggling. They can support you, provide reassurance, and be the network you need to fight Imposter Syndrome and get back on your feet. Humans are social creatures. We need each other, so don’t cut yourself off.

5. Know You’re Not Alone

It can be hard to remember when you’re looking at the world through the misaligned lens of Imposter Syndrome, but you’re not alone. According to some studies, more than 80% of people will deal with Imposter Syndrome at some point in their lives, and we think there’s a lot of power in that knowledge. This is normal, even if it’s difficult, and you can and will get through it and continue to thrive. You are not alone, you are not inadequate, and you are much more capable than you think. Trust us, it’s ok.

Imposter Syndrome can be hard to deal with, especially in the workplace, where there’s so much pressure to succeed. We hope these tips have given you some new tools to help combat your own anxieties, fight your Imposter Syndrome, and keep you being the incredible person we know you are. Good luck.