You’ve received a promotion, but you’re convinced it was a mistake. Or you’ve defended your thesis, but you think, “I just got lucky with the topic.” You’ve completed an outstanding project with your colleagues, but when they praise you, you feel like you’re about to sink into the ground, because it seems like everyone will realize you’re incompetent. This isn’t modesty. It’s imposter syndrome—a psychological phenomenon that, according to various estimates, affects 70 to 80% of people, especially successful ones. Yes, the higher you climb, the more you feel like a thief who’s accidentally walked into business class and is about to be caught.
Why does this happen, and how can you overcome it? Dr. Helen Nguyen, a psychologist from Perth (specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy), explains. She has been treating imposter syndrome for 12 years and asserts, “It’s not a disease.” It’s a neurotic trick of the brain that helped our ancestors keep a low profile to avoid being eaten by predators. In ancient times, modesty saved lives. Today, it prevents us from earning a decent salary and enjoying our successes.
Six signs that impostor syndrome is controlling you:
You attribute your success to external factors (“luck,” “someone helped,” “the task was easy”).
You spend hours berating yourself for even a small mistake, and don’t praise yourself for a single minute after a major success.
You’re afraid to ask questions at work because “everyone will think I’m stupid.”
You constantly compare yourself to others (and to your disadvantage).
You feel like any day will be the day you’ll be exposed.
You work harder than anyone else to “earn” your position.
