Or perhaps this is you. This syndrome is most common in women but yes, some men also feel they are imposters in their job.
I certainly suffered from this for many years and thank goodness I have recovered! I remember in around 2000, I received a nomination for an award in the mail. I put it in the bin because I didn’t think it was anything to do with me. Then a couple of weeks later a woman called to ask why I had not submitted the application, then she came around and stood over me while I filled it in. She told me I was inspirational… Well I knew that was not about me. I had a serious dose of imposter syndrome.
When I received a notice to tell me I was a finalist and needed to go to an awards dinner I was too embarrassed to tell anyone, even close family. I went to the dinner alone and was astonished when I won! The photo is still up on my office wall just to remind me of who I really am.
The next step was a nomination into the Telstra Business woman of the Year Award where I was a finalist in 2001. This was a huge growth step for me. I had to shed the imposter cloak and discover that I was a strong and effective woman who was good at what she did.
I meet so many women who suffer from Imposter Syndrome in my practice. They simply don’t believe in themselves. They don’t believe that they matter in their own right. They only exist to serve their friends, family, bosses etc. and they come last. They live in fear that their bosses will find out that they are not adequate and sack them even when they are doing a wonderful job.
We need to be so careful how we bring up our daughters and how we all treat each other and especially the women in our lives to help them to be their full selves with the self confidence that they need. Too many families still allow their sons more freedom and encouragement than their daughters.
If you know that you suffer from the dreadfully destructive imposter syndrome or you know someone who does, please tell them to come and see me to get rid of it.
This totally changes their life!
