One of my clients was suffering from “Imposter syndrome”.
She had been promoted but kept feeling that her promotion was undeserved. She was walking on eggshells at work, nervous and afraid that she would make a mistake in her new role and be found out! The excitement and happiness that growth should have brought in her life were missing.
Given her ability, she didn't need to feel the way she was feeling. But that's the thing with imposter syndrome. It affects capable and talented individuals, making them doubt themselves. Even Nobel laureates and elite athletes have suffered from this syndrome, so, naturally, many of us do too!
I can recall my experience at one of my jobs. I had only been with the company for a few months, and I found myself being nominated for “Employee of the Year”! 😯
I was certain there had been a mistake. How could I impress them in such a short span? I hadn't even done anything special in my mind.
There was a grand dinner function organized to select the top dog with live voting. As one of the contenders, I was quaking in my boots instead of being excited! 😨
I was fervently hoping that I'd get knocked out of contention early. I didn't want the attention that being the winner would bring because I genuinely felt I didn't deserve it. Back then, I didn't know why I felt that way because I was unaware of the concept of imposter syndrome.
As the voting continued through the evening, I found myself in the Top 3. I was looking for a place to hide! Even as people congratulated me for getting to the next stage, I brushed away the compliments with comments like “I just got lucky”. That's how badly imposter syndrome can damage self-esteem. We don't value ourselves at all.
When I finally finished as the runner-up, I felt very relieved that I didn't win the top prize. Imagine feeling happy that you lost! 😥
If you're struggling with similar feelings, it's time to tackle this syndrome that could be holding you back. Living with this condition makes you insecure, anxious, and fearful. Avoid this self-sabotage by identifying the condition, and overcoming it, so your success and growth can continue unfettered.
If you'd like to discuss your situation, please message me for a free, confidential consultation. As a New Zealand-based life coach with 5 years of coaching experience and 30+ years of work experience in the corporate sector, I could help you navigate the phase of uncertainty and self-doubt to achieve significant career breakthroughs. I work with people all over the world through online coaching to help them have successful and satisfying careers.