The Fraud Effect: Fighting Imposter Syndrome

You guys, I want to talk about Imposter Syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome describes the feeling many (so many!) people experience that they are unqualified for a job or task, and are just waiting for someone to catch on and realize they’re only there because there’s been some mistake.

While it can impact literally any aspect of a person’s life (you can feel like a fraudulent friend, parent, etc.), it’s most commonly discussed as it comes up in the professional world.

I’ve been teaching cycling classes for more than five years now. This means that not only do I get on a bike in front of people every week and lead them through a workout — a workout which I have spent time and energy designing prior to class — but it also involves a level of continuing education. I had to study and take a test before each of my certifications (one for Spinning, and one for general group fitness), and in order to maintain my certifications I need to review this material and learn about new trends in the world of fitness every year. And yet, I still get a tinge of nervousness when people ask me questions in class. I still feel compelled to disclaim my advice or defer them to someone “more qualified” than myself. And while yes, there are people who make fitness their full-time job and calling, the fact that I only teach once or twice a week does not discredit my knowledge. I know this, but it’s taken a long time for me to recognize it. And it doesn’t actually make the gut reaction go away. Sometimes, I will actually say to myself out-loud, “You do know what you’re doing.”

And that’s just my side job. That feeling only amplifies when it comes to my full-time position. My career path, while not crazy, hasn’t been entirely linear. I went from being die-hard convinced that I wanted to climb the ad agency ranks, solely focused on my role as a creative copywriter, to shifting gears to in-house marketing at a technology firm. And even then my role has since evolved from writing/editing to content strategy, editorial direction, and managing content for big events. It’s hard not to look back and think, “how did I end up here? Don’t they know I’m just making this up as I go along?”

Which leads me to my first bit of advice when it comes to combatting Imposter Syndrome:

Remember: we’re ALL (with very few exceptions) just making it up as we go.

Business is run by humans, for better or worse. And outside of certain skills-based fields, when you really step back and look at it on a macro level, it’s all just a bunch of trial-and-error efforts being implemented at a large scale. Yes, of course there is research and strategy and analytics that guide us (hopefully) in what we do. But, thinking bigger, beyond that, so much of business is a human experiment.

That gives me some comfort. We’re all just trying to figure out what works. And in a world where the way business is run is changing constantly, what works is always changing too. So we will keep experimenting.

But not all aspects of business change at the same rate. Work culture — speaking as someone who works in the U.S. — does not help with the onslaught of people who feel like they’re frauds in their fields. Work life has been framed as something so necessarily competitive — as being a literal race with employees encouraged to sprint “up the ladder” and secure themselves a spot at the top. This emphasis on competition is harmful to the spirit of teamwork, and can have detrimental effects on people’s confidence in the field. No one wants to show weakness, out of fear that they’ll lose their spot on the ladder. And so, instead of asking for help, they’re conditioned to stay quiet and just “figure it out.”

On top of that, we treat our jobs and careers as so much of our identity, no wonder we get scared when we feel unsure. It becomes an actual identity crisis. And what do we tell people, especially young people, to do when they’re worried they’re unqualified for a new role?

“Fake it ’til you make it.” I hate that term.

It’s said with the best of intentions. We believe that there’s no better way to learn than by doing! Act the part and you will become the part! But, it instills in us from the get-go that we’re frauds. That we didn’t earn our place at the table. 

Imposter Syndrome is all about feeling like you didn’t earn your place at the table. That you don’t know as much as you should, or as much as everyone around you. And when you pair that anxiety with the belief that one misstep and you’ll lose your job to someone else, maybe someone more qualified? It creates a vicious cycle.

We strive for perfection even though our rational minds know that it’s unachievable. But our unconscious minds don’t recognize that, and when we don’t achieve that perfection, we feel like we’ve failed.

So, what do we do about it?

Battling Imposter Syndrome is no easy feat. It’s asking us to reframe years of thinking of how we approach work and life. It oftentimes stems from messages sent as early as childhood. But it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Remember, you’re not alone.

Imposter Syndrome is pervasive. So many of your friends and colleagues are feeling the same way. Yep, even that person you look up to so much, because they present themselves so well! That should give you comfort in two ways: 1) you’re not alone. 2) When you realize the people you admire may also feel that way but don’t seem unqualified, then you’ll realize you probably don’t seem that way either.

Be honest when you don’t know something.

Don’t be lazy — do you research. But don’t be afraid to ask for help when you realize you don’t understand something. Oftentimes people don’t know what you know and what you don’t, so they’ll talk to you at their baseline. If you’re confused, tell them. Ask questions. Track down who has the answers. Decide your job is to figure it out.

Stop telling people to “fake it ‘til you make it.”

Instead, encourage people to research, train, and take risks, which is ultimately what we’re trying to do when we say that.

Let failure be an option.

No, you don’t want to fully ‘fail’ at your job, but will doing this one thing wrong really lead to that? For example, maybe you’re asked to give a presentation in front of a bunch of people on a topic you’re working on. Just do it already. Maybe it won’t be perfect, but when you get out of your comfort zone and try something new, you give yourself the chance to grow.

Focus on learning.

Set goals for yourself that are strictly about learning and have nothing to do with performance. Decide to do some extra research on a topic pertinent to your career, attend an industry conference, or just talk to different people in your organization. Informational interviews were strongly encouraged when I was a senior in college — just a chance to sit down with someone in your field and ask questions, with no pressure of wondering if they’d hire you. Proactive people at work find this type of support through mentorships, but rarely do you see people just asking to sit down and learn from each other what we’re doing. When you make learning the goal, you really cannot fail.

Build your support network.

Find those friends and colleagues with whom you are comfortable being honest and candid. Talk about how you feel and actively look for solutions to issues you face. I am grateful to have had colleagues, mentors and bosses throughout my career who I could be open with, and who have my back. It makes all the difference.

Do you deal with Imposter Syndrome? What ways have you found to fight that particular beast? Share in the comments, or message me your thoughts!