Imagine working extremely hard for something you’ve always wanted, then getting the opportunity, then totally bomb (fail). The problem is not that you are not skilled, nor do you have the drive and talent to execute, but your mind tells you that you are not and you actually believe. This in a nutshell is Imposter Syndrome.
This happened to me earlier this year when I had the opportunity to work with a start-up, where I got to do all the things I’ve been doing all these years and for the life of me I could not get out of my own head.
“What are you doing”
“How and why did they even pick you”
“Do you even know what you’re doing”?
These were all the thoughts that plagued me on a daily basis. It got so bad that the company called me into a meeting to let me know they knew I could more than do the job at hand (which was true), however the question is, did I think I could do the job? The answer is no! There was a back story to this that dates back to earlier in the year which lead me to that point that saw me quitting a job I held for almost 3 years that was traumatic to say the least which led me to having anxiety. If you’ve ever had a really bad job that is borderline traumatic, it makes you question your self-worth and your entire being. I know there are so many Millennials and top Business people who can relate, but if you are in this situation currently and wondering how you can cope, here are a few of the ways I’m dealing with it.
How I’m Getting Over Imposter Syndrome
Face the Truth
This is where self retrospection and honestly comes into place. Is it that you maybe cannot do something and need training for example or do you just have a difficult boss who loves to micro-manage every task? I knew that I wasn’t good at Email Marketing which was one of the required skill, so I did my due diligence and did research and did a few online courses in this regard and is a lot better than when I started.
I Analysed my Triggers
There are certain words, phrases and even sounds that can take us back to a dark place which “triggers” a certain emotion or feeling. In my case, it’s a situation — a part of my job is creating various content forms on Social Media where writing copy is not my strongest asset and where I’m most skilled. I always tell brands up-front “I am not a Graphics Designer” which to Jamaican companies and individuals register as “but you can write so you can design”, this leads me down a path to attempt to do something I know I can’t do, then coming up with something basic, then the brands say “but the designer we had did it this way”. This situation is the text book definition of Imposter Syndrome and why you should always speak up.
Talk About It
I love to ask the people who know me the best what they truly think of things and they always give an honest answer. As mentioned earlier, I know what I’m good at, and what I’m terrible at. I once had a client who expected me to do “Paid Ads”, knowing I wasn’t a Paid Ads Specialist and wanted the best results. Another member of my team said ” To be honest, you are not good at growing a brand with Paid Ads, it’s just not your thing”, I knew this initially and told the client numerous times but it fell on deaf ears. Since then, I have been telling people what I’m good at and if they want something else they can either pay more for me to hire somebody to do it OR they can simply hire somebody else to do it themselves.
Let Go of Perfectionism
I am a perfectionist but unlike most perfectionists, I actually get the job done! The thing is, if it’s not done a particular way it leads me to a bit of distress. The more I learned about how important it is to do things (at all) than to do perfectly which takes a lot of time.
Be Kind To Yourself
In all things, give yourself time and grace to go through all the emotions (both good and bad). It’s important to try as much as you can to do the things that make you happy and cause you the least amount of stress.
Get Help
Imposter Syndrome could just be something on the surface to something that is a lot deeper. It could be due to some deep trauma that you have not recovered from and might need to see a therapist.
Are you struggling with Imposter Syndrome? Let me know how you are handling it
#How I’m Getting Over Imposter Syndrome
#How I’m Getting Over Imposter Syndrome
#How I’m Getting Over Imposter Syndrome
#How I’m Getting Over Imposter Syndrome
