A friend described how she had an exciting and successful weekend, but just as she was celebrating, she found herself having this nagging feeling like she just robbed someone. She was wondering why she was not feeling what she heard people say about her.
The question of imposter syndrome which has been described as a psychological disorder that makes one feel they do not deserve their achievements, is one that many women suffer from, especially as they go up higher and higher in their jobs or their business. This seems to play a role in many women remaining in jobs or careers where they know that they are not thriving, believing that they do not deserve better, and in turn leads them to “hang up” their desires and search for that dream job.
The root of imposter syndrome might include setting unrealistic expectations or life experiences, which can manifest in different ways.
The question now is whether it is possible to overcome this disorder and go for one’s dream. I believe it is possible.
- Self-Awareness: I believe every battle of the mind starts with awareness. Recognizing the challenge and articulating it, often start one on the journey to recovery.
- Seeking for Help: Recognizing it for what it is, would lead one to seek out help of a therapist or that of a coach, who with powerful questions or other coaching tools, can help the imposter sufferer to reframe and develop action plans to overcome and move forward with their dream.
- Being Patient: Imposter syndrome usually develops overtime, so it is unrealistic to expect it to disappear without a struggle. The key is to remain patient with oneself and continue to work on it, until it either disappears or one learns to manage it.
- Having a Strong Why: When someone seeks to move to the next level but is being held back by a feeling of not deserving, it would be helpful to identify a strong why that goes beyond self, to hold onto, as the driving force for needing to be in a better place in life. That usually helps to put a negative mindset in check.
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