Impostor syndrome How to recognize it, and how to get over it

Impostor syndrome How to recognize it, and how to get over itImpostor syndrome How to recognize it, and how to get over itDo you ever find yourself fending off alingering feeling that a massive stroke of luck is the only reason why you landed this job? Or that youre really not as talented as you seem, and that youll be plucked from your position when HR finds out about your so-calledinadequacy?The American Psychological Association reportedin 2013 that in the 1970s, psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance first described the term impostor phenomenon, which has also been called impostor syndrome. The two also provided an analysis of research on the topic in a 1988 paper. New York Magazine alsoreported in 2016 that this term hasnt been listed as an official diagnosis in the DSM.Gill Corkindale illustrates what this often looks like in a 2008 Harvard Business Review article.Impostors suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feel ings of success or external proof of their competence. They seem unable to internalize their accomplishments, however successful they are in their field. High achieving, highly successful people often suffer, so impostor syndrome doesnt equate with low self-esteem or a lack of self-confidence. In fact, some researchers have linked it with perfectionism, especially in women and among academics, Corkindale writes.Heres how to get over impostor syndrome andsee yourself as an employee who is fully capable and deserving of success.Refresh your memoryKeep a list of your positive achievements to remind yourself what you can do.Michael Grothaus featured advice from neuroscientist, leadership coach, doctor and author Dr. Tara Swart in a 2017 Fast Company article.Though it sounds simple, Swart says having a go-to set of positive statements that you can speak out loud or say in your head can reprogram the neural pathways in the brain and prevent automatic shortcuts to negative thought patterns . A few of her favorites that seem to work for most people are the simple phrases, I am truly capable, or, I make great decisions. She advises her clients to say these whenever negative self-talk or consistent doubts pop into their heads, Grothaus writes.These are statements you can use regularly whenever you need a boost.Dont hold yourself to impossible standardsKirsten Weir features advice from Clance in the2013 article for the American Psychological Association.Clance urges people with impostor feelings to stop focusing on perfection. Do a task well enough, she says. Its also important to take time to appreciate the fruits of your hard work. Develop and implement rewards for success - learn to celebrate, Weir writes.Go forth and prosperMargie Warrell, author of Stop Playing Safe, Find Your Courage and Brave, and more, writes about overcoming this feeling by taking chances in a 2014 Forbes article.It takes courage to take on challenges and pursue aspirations that leave you wide o pen to falling short, losing face and being found out. But when you refuse to let your doubts dictate your choices, you open new doors of opportunity and discover just how much you can really do. Even if you never accomplish all you aspire toward, you will accomplish so much more than you otherwise would have. In the process youll come to realize that the only impostor you ever had to worry about is your fear of people thinking you are one, Warrell writes.