162 - Friday Fix: The Best Way to Combat Imposter Syndrome

The Verywell Mind Podcast

Dotdash Media Inc.

Health & Fitness, Self-improvement, Mental Health, Education

5 • 703 Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2022

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Imposter syndrome is that uncomfortable feeling you experience when you think you’re unqualified and incompetent. You might look around and assume everyone knows what they’re doing except you. And if you achieve something good, you’ll chalk your accomplishments up to “good luck.” Almost everyone experiences imposter syndrome at one point or another. For some people, it’s a small problem. For others though, it can be debilitating. If you have imposter syndrome, you might worry that someone is going to discover how inept you really are. You might cope by becoming an overachiever. Or you might stop trying to reach your potential so you don’t disappoint anyone. Imposter syndrome isn’t just something that happens at work. You might struggle with it in your personal life too if you feel like an ineffective parent or you think you aren’t a good partner. Fortunately, this science-backed strategy for overcoming imposter syndrome can help you live your best life–and feel effective while you’re doing it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Very Well Mind podcast. We've interviewed over 100 authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and others to help you learn strategies to care for your mental health.
0:22.9	This episode is hosted by psychotherapist and bestselling author Amy Morin. Now let's get into the episode.
0:52.9	Okay. You're listening to the Friday fix. Every Friday, I share a quick mental strength strategy that can help fix the thoughts, feelings, and actions that can hold you back in life.
0:54.2	Today I'm talking about imposter syndrome. Researchers estimate that 70% of us experience imposter syndrome at one time or
1:01.0	another. For some people, it can be debilitating. Before we talk about how to combat
1:06.2	imposter syndrome, though, let's get clear on what it is. Imposter syndrome is a term that's used to describe
1:12.7	high-achieving people who experience a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. They usually
1:19.0	have impressive accomplishments, like they've been promoted at their job, or they have a special
1:24.1	degree or a title. Despite those impressive accomplishments, though,
1:28.6	their self-limiting beliefs prevent them from feeling successful. Let's go through some of the
1:34.0	warning signs of imposter syndrome. As I talk about these, think about how many of them sound like
1:39.6	you. Chronic feelings of self-doubt. Most people with imposter syndrome constantly second-guess their decisions.
1:47.1	No matter how successful they become, they feel inadequate.
1:51.2	They think their success is mostly about good luck.
1:55.0	Someone with imposter syndrome might think that the only reason they achieve something
1:58.6	is because they were in the right place at the right time. Instead of recognizing their hard work, their skills, or their talents, they might say,
2:06.5	I just got lucky. Perfectionistic tendencies. The combination of the fear of failure and chronic
2:13.3	feelings of inadequacy can drive someone to over-prepare for everything. Most people with
2:18.5	imposter syndrome work really long hours. They always double-check and redo things, and they
2:24.0	obsess about getting all the details right. Many high achievers feel like they're only as good as
2:30.0	their last accomplishment. As a result, they're constantly chasing the next big thing, and they
2:35.2	struggle to ever feel good enough. And they worry someone will find out they're a fraud.
	...

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