There have been sometimes in my career that I have felt completely incompetent and inadequate for my job due to certain circumstances or people. The funny part was that the people who had made me believe I am not worthy of the job were the people who had made an informed decision to hire me.

Since then, I have certainly grown and evolved, but I could undoubtedly catch myself thinking whether these people were right, and I wasn’t as good as I thought —regardless of my high performance at work.

One day, I read about Impostor Syndrome. The Impostor Syndrome is a psychological pattern in which individuals doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a "fraud." I felt utterly related to this; I indeed felt as “fraud” even though my performance showed different results.

I had a constant need for approval from my partners, collaborators, and family. I tried hard to prove myself and my worth; I kept working and studying the same things because I thought it wasn’t enough. For instance, I was in front of a translation; I knew the topic exceptionally well - I had already done it many times in the past - yet I thought something was wrong. When I sent my translation, I was nervous and worried that they would return it reviewed, shaming me for my linguistic competence; that never happened. No bad reviews, not a negative comment. But still, I thought something wasn’t good enough.

As a result, I felt stressed, I kept cooperating on low rates and working conditions, and I found it hard to believe that I could claim what I deserve, and I kept working for hours, thinking I could master my skills and competencies. Although I kept achieving things, my evaluation was almost perfect (nobody is entirely perfect, especially in linguistics), I thought I could do more.

### According to experts, Impostor Syndrome can lead in either two ways: over-preparation or procrastination.

If one responds with procrastination, this initial response will turn into a frantic effort to complete the job. Once the task has been completed, there will be a brief period of accomplishment and a feeling of relief. If positive feedback is given once the work has been completed and turned in, one will discount the positive feedback. If one responded to the task with over-preparation, the successful outcome would be seen as a result of hard work.

If one responds by procrastination, one will view the outcome as a matter of luck. In the impostor cycle, gaining success through hard work or luck is not interpreted as a matter of truth or personal ability.

This means that it does not matter which mechanism one used to complete the task. Even if the outcome results in a positive response, the feedback given does not affect one's success perception. This leads one to discount positive feedback.

Experiencing Impostor syndrome can ultimately adversely affect one's job and competence. This means that the person rarely will take the credits for his/her career and usually stay behind regarding their professional evolution and advancement.

Follow Us On Social For More Tips & News

The Working Gal on Instagram

The Working Gal on Facebook

The Working Gal on Pinterest