Have you ever looked back on a major milestone you've reached and thought, "Hey, that was pure luck" or "Phew, that project only went so well because I put in a lot of effort and tons of hours"? If you just nodded, then welcome to the club of people with 'impostor syndrome'!
Psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance were the first to research and name the 'impostor syndrome' in 1978. They initially concluded that the phenomenon was common among successful women, who tended to attribute personal success to sheer luck or (over)preparation rather than to their own abilities.
“But now, about 40 years later, studies have shown that about 70 percent of the population, both men and women, are affected by these feelings.”
So why do so many people, especially in professional life, perceive themselves as frauds who are only pretending?
To get to the bottom of this, let's first dive deeper into the psychological phenomenon of imposter syndrome. Spoiler alert: There might be some advantages to feeling like an imposter.
What exactly is imposter syndrome – and how does it affect your work life?
So far we know that imposter syndrome is characterized by the fact that you attribute success to external factors rather than to your own achievements and abilities. What does that do to you? It leads to constant self-doubt and the fear of being found out and exposed as a fraud - because you have clearly deceived everyone around you and it is only a matter of time before they realize it themselves.
The impostor phenomenon can affect several areas of your life, but for most people it relates to their work life. At work, it means constantly having one foot over the edge. With every new project you take on, the same unhealthy mindset is triggered. According to Pauline Ross Clarks, it looks something like this:
- Task: You receive a (challenging) job task.
- Emotional reaction: You worry and your fears and doubts increase.
- Action:
- You either give it your all and over-prepare, or
- You procrastinate because your fear of being found out paralyzes you… then you invest an enormous amount of time and energy into the task.
- Positive outcome: After receiving positive feedback and a few well-deserved compliments, you mistakenly attribute both to either your extremely good preparation… or sheer luck.
- Confirmation of your previous beliefs: Voilà! You have found another reason to feel confirmed in your previous assumption – namely that you lack skills and competence.
Where does imposter syndrome come from and why is it so widespread?
The imposter phenomenon does not appear in either of the two "psychologists' bibles," neither the ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) nor the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). And yet it is recognized by the American Psychological Association as a real 'psychological syndrome'. One downside: There is no way to determine exactly where it comes from. However, psychologists cite several factors that can be associated with imposter syndrome. In psychologist jargon, this is referred to as an association , but it cannot be equated with causality.
Let's take a look at the factors associated with impostor syndrome that might help explain why the phenomenon is so common in the 21st century.
Parenting styles & personality traits
A child whose parents do not have a consistent parenting style, but instead alternate between extreme praise and harsh criticism, may feel like an imposter in adulthood, says psychologist Suzanne Imes. Makes sense - if you constantly receive contradictory messages about your own capabilities, you may doubt whether you can do anything at all. In addition, personality traits such as neuroticism and perfectionism have been linked to imposter syndrome.
The social media
Social networks are super helpful when it comes to staying in touch with friends (especially during Corona times!) and keeping up with what's happening in the world. But: Instagram and other apps make it much easier to constantly compare yourself to others. In the past, you may have measured yourself against members of your own community - now the whole world has become your personal benchmark.
“Social media users today can access an enormous range of information and draw on a mass of comparison persons,” said Johanna Schäwel, lecturer in media psychology at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, to the online magazine jetzt.
Social media tends to showcase only other people's happiest moments, so it's no wonder we feel like imposters when we see all the seemingly successful, carefree, and beautiful people around us.
The gig economy
While boomers have had, on average, only a small number of jobs/different workplaces during their working lives, millennials are part of a generation that jumps from job to job. Constantly leaving your familiar workplace behind and starting over somewhere new means you have to prove yourself over and over again. This can trigger or exacerbate feelings of imposture.
The good side of the imposter syndrome
Living with the constant fear of being exposed as a fraud is extremely stressful! Especially when this stress is added to your already demanding life. It can cause feelings of anxiety, affect your productivity and mental health, and lead to unhealthy habits like procrastination and over-preparation.
So, are all the 'imposters' among us completely lost? Not quite.
The internet is full of tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome (from keeping a success journal to setting realistic expectations for yourself).
But what if your self-doubt actually had some advantages?
Recent studies by Basima Tewik, an assistant professor at MIT, show exactly that. In her first study, she used a survey to divide participants into two groups, one of which consisted of people who suffered from imposter syndrome. In one task - meeting and diagnosing medical patients - those who perceived themselves as less qualified performed just as well as those without imposter symptoms. In addition, the 'imposters' interpersonal skills were rated as better than those of their colleagues.
In Tewik's follow-up study, members of the 'imposter group' even received better performance ratings than the 'non-impostor group'.
Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a New York-based clinical psychologist and author of Nervous Energy , offers a few possible reasons why people with imposter syndrome outperform their peers. "Constantly worrying about whether you're qualified drives you to constantly improve your professional skills," she told practicalpal.net, "and the benefit here is that the compulsive drive to improve yourself actually makes you more qualified."
In any case, it all depends on the extent of your impostor syndrome - too much 'compulsive self-improvement' may leave you stressed and feeling miserable. However, with the right approach, it is possible to reap the hidden benefits of impostor syndrome.
In his recent book Think Again, Adam Grant summarizes the three main benefits of imposter syndrome:
1. Motivation to work harder than everyone else around you
Once you've committed to a task, your self-doubt about your abilities and talents motivates you to give 110 percent. Everything in moderation, of course.
Remember, however, that working too much increases your risk of burnout.
2. Openness to new approaches
If you are not convinced that your way is the only right one, you are more open to suggestions from others – which can lead to a productive change in strategy.
3. Potential to become a better learner
Someone with imposter syndrome may think, whether true or not, that they lack knowledge. A small dose of self-doubt may have its benefits and lead you to seek input and advice from others. This will broaden your experience and make you a better learner.
Adam Grant also suggests that a slight shift in your perception can further help you see your imposter syndrome as an advantage (to reach what he calls the 'sweet spot of confidence'). Instead of assuming that you just don't have the right skills, try telling yourself that you just haven't acquired those skills yet.
What about people who never doubt themselves?
Being affected by impostor syndrome may be better than unknowingly suffering from its opposite: what Grant calls 'armchair quarterback syndrome,' "where one's self-confidence exceeds one's competence." The phenomenon of mainsplaining, for example, falls into this category.
As Grant explains it, there is actually a theory that the people who know the least about a particular subject think they actually know a lot about it. "Based on what we now know as the 'Dunning-Kruger effect' he writes, "it is likely that when we lack competence, we are brimming with overconfidence."
So, if you sometimes (or always) suffer from imposter syndrome, you can relax a little - and realize that this phenomenon may be even more bearable than some of the alternatives! As long as your thoughts and self-doubt don't completely paralyze you, they have some benefits. They can even help boost your motivation and drive you forward.