You too have achieved many successes: high grades at school, promotions in your career, successfully completed projects, and much more. So, how do you feel about them? You must be happy! You should think that all the success you've achieved is a reward for your hard work! You should be proud of what you've done!
But are you really? We know the medallion metaphor, don't we? There's always another side. The feelings that your successes evoke in you also have another dimension. Perhaps you're not happy, you don't feel proud, and you can't attribute your success to yourself. Don't worry, you're not alone in this.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
We didn't say "you're not alone" for nothing; the sentence we quoted above belongs to one of our copywriters. When we decided to write about Imposter Syndrome and started researching, one of our colleagues made this sincere confession. Then, thinking about it, we realized that some of us have doubts about our current successes or have had them at some point in our lives. You might have found yourself in a similar situation, but don't worry; there's an explanation for it.
Imposter Syndrome (or phenomenon) is also known as "Impostor Phenomenon." It's a persistent doubt about one's abilities, skills, and achievements, and an internalized fear of being labeled an "imposter." Let's be clear; this is not a psychological disorder. It's more of a psychological pattern, a phenomenon, that a person finds themselves in. However, unfortunately, it can also be a result of some serious psychological disorders. For example, someone who actually has serious psychological problems might also have Imposter Syndrome and, because they don't feel worthy of psychiatric attention, they might not seek solutions for their problems.
In Imposter Syndrome, there are no failures experienced by the person, but there is concrete evidence of their achievements. Yet, the person has a very strong belief that they don't deserve this success and that they achieved it by deceiving others. In other words, no matter what anyone says, no matter what the person achieves, they don't believe in themselves internally. Just like in the 1978 study by Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Dr. Suzanne A. Imes…
150 successful women participated in the study. Each of these women had certified successes in their careers or academic lives. However, the research showed that many of these women could not internalize the success they had gained. Generally, they thought that their abilities and intelligence were exaggerated, or that their successes were due to luck. Although the study was conducted only with women, this syndrome is known to affect men as well.
Who experiences Imposter Syndrome?
25-30% of people who achieve great success experience Imposter Syndrome. 70% have experienced or are experiencing this syndrome at least once in their lives. In fact, it is possible to go back to childhood and examine the reasons that create or trigger this phenomenon. We are sure that some of your families placed a lot of expectations on you when you were a child. For example, succeeding in all subjects or always getting high grades in all circumstances... In addition to these expectations, the perception of "success" coded or created in us during childhood can also be at the root of this situation.
"Many people who feel like imposters come from families that place a great deal of importance on achievement. Especially parents who send mixed messages, oscillating between excessive praise and negative criticism, can increase the risk of developing imposter feelings in the future. Societal pressures only reinforce the problem." - Dr. Suzanne A. Imes (International Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2011).
As children, we think we are very different from our parents. For example, a 4-year-old child doesn't think their parent was once their age. They cannot imagine in their mind that their mother or father was once a child, played games like them, or had to ask for permission from their own parents. This can be perceived as an unbridgeable status difference. At that age, the child can set a reference point for competence and appreciation that they cannot actually compete with.
We can also say that certain personality traits play a role in Imposter Syndrome. These personality traits may have been with us since birth or acquired later through environmental influences. Accordingly, individuals with neurotic, perfectionist, and self-efficacy-lacking personalities are more prone to suffering from this condition.
Let's also mention that competitive environments trigger this condition and talk about another ironic reason: drawing attention to one's success can also trigger this condition. After passing an exam, getting a promotion, or winning an award, a person can find themselves doubting themselves. Do you remember what our copywriter said;
"Sometimes I get very positive feedback for the texts I write. I should be happy, but I can't be happy. On the contrary, I start thinking, 'Do I really deserve this praise?'"
What Should You Do?
If you find yourself in such a situation, first stop normalizing or denying it. You know that accepting the existence of the problem is the first step towards a solution. Remember that your successes are yours because you deserve them.
Consult Your Mentor
If there is someone around you who guides you, whose opinions you trust, and who you believe can direct you, you can talk to them. This person could be a teacher at school, a manager at work, or a colleague in your industry. Their insights can help you evaluate yourself more accurately and objectively measure your development.
Keep a Record of Your Successes
Everyone wants to be a genius, but if everyone were a genius, being a genius would lose its special quality. Therefore, you shouldn't think that you lack a level of intelligence that can overcome everything and achieve perfect results in every area. In fact, such a thing doesn't even exist. Humans are, in a way, programmed to learn and make mistakes. However, there are definitely areas and topics where you are better than others. You need to find out what these are. Being aware of this and documenting them can be helpful.
Recognize Your Expertise
Of course, you can create a roadmap for development by looking at examples that are better than you. However, sometimes sharing your knowledge and experience with those who are not as good as you can show you in which areas and to what extent you are an expert. Instead of constantly comparing yourself to those who are better than you, you can also see how much knowledge you have and how far you've come by helping those who are behind you.
Nobody is Perfect
If you think the people you admire have no flaws, you are mistaken. Don't just dismiss this by saying, "Of course they do"; truly try to understand this. Nobody is perfect. Or, as Montaigne said, "Kings and philosophers also shit, even women..."
Consult a Specialist
We said at the beginning that this is not a psychological disorder. Nevertheless, this situation might be challenging for you. You might need the support of an expert in this regard. Don't burden yourself, don't postpone, don't deny, and please don't think you're not worthy of it. If necessary, get help from an expert you can trust. You deserve to continue on your path confidently and happily, internalizing your achievements when you reap the rewards of your efforts. It is possible to overcome this syndrome with the help of an expert.
You might be experiencing this situation. Your status, position, duties, and responsibilities don't matter. We live in an age that constantly demands us to produce something and be the winner in competition. No matter how much we try to avoid responding to people's expectations, sometimes we are forced to. Therefore, being in Imposter Syndrome or Expert Syndrome, which we will address in another article, or a completely different phenomenon, is not a disorder. It's not about being weak, untalented, or unskilled. It's just about the processes we're going through, the situations we're in. It's not you who needs to change, but only your perspective and the thoughts your mind produces.
As the Bonherre team, we congratulate you on all the values you have added to life and all the rightful successes you have achieved so far. And even if you fail, we love you!