Negosentro.com | What Is Imposter Syndrome & Is It Stumping Your Growth? | Do you ever feel like you’re a fraud everytime you lead a meeting or get offered an outstanding opportunity you have been working years for? No matter what, you feel like you don’t deserve most of the opportunities that your team says you are more than qualified for.
If you’re nodding your head up and down, you may be dealing with the well-known imposter syndrome. The imposter syndrome is an intense case of self-doubt to the point it impairs your thought process when chasing your dreams. You may dream up starting and owning your own business, but wouldn’t actually act on it. Or, you may avoid asking for a raise since you think you don’t equate to all the other employees at your company. Yet, it may all just be in your head.
Surprisingly enough, even the most successful athletes, actors, and entrepreneurs deal with the same thing; Serena Williams and Tom Hanks for example. Not to mention, the other 70 percent of millennials that have dealt with a fraudulent thought at least once in their life.
Even though this topic is starting to shed a little bit more light in the leadership space, it is crucial to understand the five different types and how they may be affecting your earning potential.
Five Different Types of Imposter Syndrome:
- The Perfectionist
As most of you may expect, the perfectionist thinks they are unstoppable. You feel like no matter what you put on your calendar or to-do list, you will check everything off with time to spare. Yet, doing so actually discredits your abilities. You find yourself constantly let down from underestimating almost everything. You may start to feel like you aren’t worthy of success since you aren’t even able to meet the expectations you set for yourself.
Some advice to getting past this may be to break your big goals down into smaller goals. Say you want to save over $10,000 for a down deposit on a house by the end of the year, set small savings metrics each month to ensure you will reach this goal.
- The Super(wo)man
You are the do it all, and you devote your life to your work. You most likely spend all morning and afternoon working. Whenever your friends or family ask if you’re able to go to an event or go out to dinner you respond with “I have work to do.” As there are always times you may have to buckle down and get a good job done, you find yourself doing this every night. You’re constantly thinking the more time you put into your work, the worthier you are.
When trying to push past this, schedule batch work time frames. Instead of working long hours, half distracted, work a couple hours at a time without any distractions. There are several apps out there that can pause all notifications on your phone or laptop, and noise canceling earbuds to keep you laser focused on your work. Keep in mind your success comes from the overall turnout of tasks and projects rather than the countless hours you constantly feel like you have to prove you contributed to it.
- The Natural Genius
Naturally, you’re extremely good at what you do. Even though you’re good at most things, you really don’t like to get out of your comfort zone. You stay in your bubble and get what you need to do done as fast as you can. If you add a new task to your schedule and it takes longer than expected to complete it, you feel like a fraud. After that short blip, you may never want to pick that task up again, even if that task could earn you a salary bump.
To earn a raise, or simply get out of your work comfort zone, load up your free time with random tasks. Whether that means trying a new game with your friends on a Saturday, or asking to attend a diverse meeting at your company to understand different ways you can help out. No matter what that may be, get out and start learning things you’re uncomfortable learning at first.
- The Soloist
You’re always alone. You regularly think if you have to ask for help on something it will discredit your work. Even if a task costs you double the time it would if you’d just ask your fellow employee, you refuse to reach out. You’re most likely the one at the grocery store that’ll go down every aisle to find that one spice you were looking for, rather than asking the countless associates that passed you during the search.
To get past this, reach out to your peers constantly. Exercise the practice of owning up to not knowing absolutely every process at work, or in your day-to-day life. Even start asking associates where an item may be in the store, even if you have an inclination as to where it may be.
- The Expert
You’re like the natural genius. You’re good at just about everything that’s put on your plate, but you may not be as good at strutting your stuff. When asked to speak up during a meeting you may clam up and feel like fraud no matter how much time and effort you put into a project. You constantly get great feedback on your work, but you never feel worthy enough to own up to all the hard work you put into it.
To start owning up to all your great projects, know some skill gaps are normal and focus on what you’re good at. Know that strutting your stuff is difficult for you. Be overly prepared for any event that may push you out of your comfort zone in this way. Stay confident, strong, and open to constantly growing your skillset!
There are many different ways imposter syndrome affects your career and finances. One being, not asking for a raise when you are more than qualified. You may get nervous thinking about the uncomfortable confrontation you will have to talk through with your boss and actually present your growth metrics.
Or, you may be spending the average $18,000 a year on random purchases rather than investing money into a business you’ve been thinking about for years now. A startup you feel you wouldn’t be able to master, even when your passion alone could get you there.
Check out Mint’s infographic to read more about how you’re able to overcome this syndrome and the yearly averages of how this may be affecting your career and finances:
AUTHOR BIO
Kayla Montgomery is a digital content marketer who helps Mint create helpful and compelling stories worth sharing. Her background in digital marketing and creative writing has led her to cover unique topics ranging from business to lifestyle. In her spare time, she enjoys working out, writing for her own blog, traveling, and exploring all the in’s and out’s Austin, TX has to offer. To learn more, connect with Kayla on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-s-montgomery/
