With Google searches for ‘Imposter Syndrome’ surging by 190% and TikTok searches for ‘Imposter Syndrome in Women’ up by 1000%, we have worked with the team at Instant Offices to explore why impostor syndrome affects so many women and how it can be overcome.
Understanding Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is intense self-doubt around one’s own success. A persistent feeling that you are a fraud just waiting to be caught out, that your accomplishments are not valid or deserved, and that you are not as competent as other people seem to think you are.
Whilst impostor syndrome can affect everyone, trends show that it tends to affect women at a higher rate. Despite evidence of success, women experiencing this paralysing self-doubt are more likely to believe they are intellectual frauds. This level of stress waiting to be found out by peers – can lead to anxiety, burnout and increased unhappiness among everyone from entrepreneurs to employees moving up the ladder.
When considering why women sometimes experience imposter syndrome at a higher rate than men, factors like workplace inequality and the pay gap may come into play. Whilst in the global context the UK tends to score quite highly in terms of equality in the workplace, there is still a large gender equality gap. The workforce gender gap sits at 79 and the equality index at just 74, suggesting there is still a large amount of room for improvement, especially compared to its counterparts in Norway and Canada.
Beating Imposter Syndrome
Even though so many people have experienced imposter syndrome, the good news is that it’s not a permanent condition but rather a reaction to a set of circumstances, unrealistic self-expectation and stress. Some of the most popular suggestions on ways to turn it around include the following:
- Accept Praise and Know Your Worth: Don’t shy away from praise and compliments. Accept your achievements and if need be, write them down. When you try to talk yourself out of feeling confident in your role, all the proof is on paper. Knowing your worth means allowing your work to speak for itself and letting others see it too.
- Stop Thinking Like an Imposter: Learn to recognise self-defeating thought patterns and replace them with more positive affirmations. The only way to stop feeling like an imposter is to stop thinking of yourself as one.
- Don’t Seek Perfection: Stop believing that if you don’t excel at every facet of your job that you’re a failure at all of it. Facing challenges and losses is a key part of growth, so recognise that you don’t have to be good at everything.
Know You Are Not Alone
Imposter syndrome tends to be the domain of overachievers, while underachievers tend to internalise less when faced with failure. If you’re constantly worried about not being good enough, chances are you’re in good company – most successful people constantly overanalyse themselves!
