Last Imposter Project

Have you ever felt like a fraud or like you're not good enough for a certain job or opportunity? That's what we call imposter syndrome. It's a common feeling among many of us, but it doesn't have to hold us back. Here are three ways to combat imposter syndrome:

1. Recognize and acknowledge the feeling. When you notice that feeling creeping in, take a step back and recognize that it's a common experience. You're not alone in feeling this way.

2. Reframe your thoughts. Instead of thinking that you're not good enough, remind yourself of your accomplishments and qualifications. You got the job or the opportunity for a reason.

3. Seek support. Talk to a friend, mentor, or therapist about your feelings. They can provide perspective and encouragement to help you overcome the feeling of being an imposter.

Remember, imposter syndrome is a normal feeling, but it doesn't have to hold you back. Take steps to combat it and believe in yourself. You got this!

Imposter syndrome is a feeling of self-doubt and inadequacy that can affect even the most accomplished individuals. Even famous people, who have achieved great success in their fields, can suffer from imposter syndrome. Some famous people who have spoken about their struggles with imposter syndrome include:

Emma Watson: The Harry Potter actress has talked about feeling like a fraud in her acting career, despite her success and talent.

Maya Angelou: The renowned author and poet has spoken about feeling like an imposter in the literary world, despite her numerous accolades and best-selling books.

Tina Fey: The comedian and actress has talked about feeling like a fraud in her career, despite her successful shows, movies and awards.

Neil Gaiman: The bestselling author has spoken about feeling like an imposter in the literary world, despite his numerous accolades and successful books.

Tom Hanks: The award-winning actor has spoken about feeling like an imposter in the acting world, despite his numerous successful films and accolades.

These famous people serve as a reminder that imposter syndrome can affect anyone, regardless of their level of success or talent. It's important to remember that everyone has moments of self-doubt and that it's normal to feel like an imposter sometimes. The key is to recognize these feelings and not let them hold you back from achieving your goals.

There are 5 types of Imposter Syndrome:

1. THE PERFECTIONIST - perfectionists typically set very high expectations for themselves and that even if they meet 99% of those goals, a small loss will feel like a large failure.

2. THE NATURAL GENIUS - success came relatively easily during school. As they grow and mature, however, they are bound to encounter scenarios where achievement doesn’t present itself as second nature, and hard work or struggle is required for their desired results.

3. THE RUGGED INDIVIDUALIST - they struggle to reach out when they need assistance, as they feel getting help with a task invalidates their contribution or shows that their own skillset is in some way lacking.

4. THE EXPERT - they like to come into something new from a position of knowledge and expertise, and probably regularly spend time looking for ways to improve their skillset or undergo extra training. However, this drive to become an “expert” can trigger imposter syndrome, holding them back from applying for jobs if you don’t meet all the criteria in the description, or preventing them from speaking up in a seminar because their answer won’t be perfectly informed.

5. THE SUPERHERO - they push themselves to work harder than everyone around them to prove that they’re not imposters. Their expectations for themselves are higher than their expectations of others, and they feel a sometimes overwhelming need to succeed in every element of their life – at work and at home.

Do you feel like the faster you progress in your career, the more you feel like you "don't belong"?

Do you feel like no matter how much you try, you're still drinking from the firehose?

It's all about mindset. If you can believe it, you can be it.

But Imposter Syndrome is something that affects many professionals. In fact, it effects 70% of professionals every year, or over 200M people in America each year.

The feeling of being an imposter appears to be reminiscent of Mindset Theory, a set of ideas based on the fundamental belief regarding whether or not people think their abilities are subject to change.

The more you believe your abilities are malleable, the more likely you are to focus on developing them, knowing you have the potential to do so. BE DYNAMIC!

Alternatively, if you believe your abilities are fixed, you don’t strive to better yourself and instead fall victim to the idea that any shortcoming is indicative of your inevitable inability to perform. DON'T GET STUCK!

In an interview with NPR, Academy Award Winning actor, Tom Hanks, explained that he felt particularly connected to his character in “A Hologram for the King” because he too has experienced self-doubt.

Hanks said, “No matter what we've done, there comes a point where you think, 'How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?' "

These are all normal feelings one gets as we move up the corporate ladder, as we move an inch towards success. Yet, without attaining our own convoluted version of "success", we get feelings of doubt.

TIP: Try journaling your inner thoughts of doubt, writing the rationale for your doubts, as well as the rebuttal against it. More likely than not, you will see how the positives of your success to date, really outnumber the doubtful thoughts.

One step at a time!

Studies show women are more likely than men to experience Imposter Syndrome. In fact, it was originally thought that the syndrome only affects women.

Why? There is plenty of academic evidence to suggest that women are less confident in the workplace – particularly in male-dominated industries – while earning less than their male counterparts, both leading causes for a greater feeling of Imposter Syndrome.

Feelings that point to Imposter Syndrome include:
(1) I don't belong here or I don't fit in;
(2) I am not like everyone else here;
(3) I am not like other women;
(4) Maybe I am just here because they wanted a woman to 'be inclusive';
(5) I don't know what I am doing here; and (and I hope to God no one finds out)

How to fix it? The first step is to be honest about it and be comfortable explaining your situation to others.

Follow us for more tips on how to learn, grow and conquer Imposter Syndrome!

Tip on Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Identifying imposter feelings and bringing them out into the light of day:

1. Talking to a trusted friend or mentor about your distress can help you get some outside context on the situation.

2. Sharing imposter feelings can help them feel less overwhelming.

3. Opening up to peers about how you feel encourages them to do the same, helping you realize you aren’t the only one who feels like an imposter.

Imposter Syndrome effects many people, even the best and brightest. Albert Einstein even experienced Imposter Syndrome.

Einstein is reported as saying to a friend, as an elderly man, that "...the exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler".

There is no cure for it. Instead, we need to notice that the syndrome has crept up and then to quietly send it back to where it came from.

Is Imposter Syndrome only for academics and professionals? NOPE.

It affects 70% of people. Just check the story of Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra.

Spoelstra suffered from impostor syndrome when he took over a team with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh at 40 years old as a non-NBA playing coach.

Even after two championships, it took him until the summer of 2014 — when James was no longer on the roster — to get over it.

"I had a big, six-week reflection on my purpose in this profession," Spoelstra told ESPN. "And I really connected with this idea that my purpose was just to serve and help guys like [Duncan] Robinson achieve their dreams and to be able to help our organization develop teams and a culture that we believe in.”

"That was the biggest transformation for me. It's a compass. And after that, I didn't give it a thought about the impostor syndrome."

Rejection limits the potential of our lives. It stops us from conquering our dreams, and instead forces us to live mediocre lives. But every successful business person would say that rejection and failure are part of the path to success.

What if we could eliminate the fear of rejection through what is known as "rejection therapy"?

Watch this TEDx talk about how one person took the art of rejection and transformed their life!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vZXgApsPCQ

What I learned from 100 days of rejection | Jia Jiang Jia Jiang adventures boldly into a territory so many of us fear: rejection. By seeking out rejection for 100 days -- from asking a stranger to borrow $100 to...

Have you ever been given an important assignment at work, a major promotion managing a number of people, and just thought, "what gives me the right to be here?"

In those moments, it feels like you just feel like you're lacking certain skills. You wonder whether you belong there at all. There's a sense of being thrown into the deep end of the pool and needing to learn to swim. But it's not just questioning whether you can survive. In a fundamental way, you're wondering if you can swim at all.

If you're feeling out of place as you move up the corporate ladder quickly, you're not alone. This feeling plagues 7 out of 10 professionals today, and that number is only growing -- it's called Imposter Syndrome.

This page has been built to provide the tools, resources and solutions to help alleviate the feeling of Imposter Syndrome.