Feeling like a fraud? Unmasking Imposter Syndrome

Ever felt like you are just not good enough, despite your achievements both big and small?

Or you have no achievements because you are just starting out and you still feel like you aren't enough because OMG what if it everyone finds out I am just starting out and so I must be a big ole fat phonykins!?

That feeling of doubt creeping in and those whispers that are making you question your abilities and your "enoughness", welp my friend, that is imposter syndrome.

What is Impostor Syndrome?

Impostor Syndrome is that sneaky feeling where you believe that your accomplishments are just a stroke of luck or a result of good timing, rather than your own skills and hard work.

It's like wearing an invisible "I'm not good enough" badge that keeps you from acknowledging your true potential.

Types of Impostor Syndrome Personalities:

1. The Perfectionist Prodigy: You set impossibly high standards for yourself, constantly striving for flawlessness, but never quite satisfied with your work.

2. The Solo Operator: You prefer working alone, hesitating to seek help or collaborate due to fear of being exposed as a fraud.

3. The Expert Avoider: Despite your expertise, you feel like a fraud when faced with new challenges or stepping out of your comfort zone.

4. The Comparison Critic: You often compare yourself to others, feeling inadequate when measuring your success against theirs.

Now things can get tricky because you might find that you don't just have one of these imposter syndrome personalities, but a combination of several of them.

Symptoms and Signs to Watch Out For

• You dismiss praise or positive feedback, attributing your achievements to external factors.

• You experience persistent self-doubt and fear of failure, often procrastinating on projects.

• You overwork yourself, seeking perfection in every detail and never feeling satisfied with your results.

• You struggle with acknowledging your accomplishments, feeling like they are not truly deserved. Not just with the obviously big things, but even with the small wins.

• You compare your step 1 with someone else's step 5,000. They are not even in the same realm and yet it can stop you in your tracks before you have even began.

• You hesitate in starting projects. Either because you are afraid of being seen as a beginner or because you feel like you have to be an expert out of the gate.

• Or you start a project and then freak out because you are starting to be noticed and then you hide. AKA you stop posting on all socials and ghost your audience, unintentionally. (And if you're thinking, "Wow Ree, this last one seems awfully personal..." You'd be right. When I was first starting out in my 5 year online journey, I did do this, not my proudest moment.)

Why is it Important to Know About Impostor Syndrome?

Imposter Syndrome can wreck havoc on your mental health and well-being. It can cause feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, procrastination, anxiety, and stress to name a few of the top of my head.

Not only that, it can be found posed in the question, "who am I to do [enter the blank]?" This can happen at any point in the creative process, but usually happens right before we start something big or something scary, such as starting a starting your journey as a digital entrepreneur.

Effects on Mental Health and Well-being

Imposter Syndrome looks different for anyone who is currently grappling with it or has experienced at any point in the past.

It can cause stress. It can cause panicky feelings. It can cause confusion because you have a mixture of thoughts ping ponging around your brain.

You might start to look at your abilities, your talents or even your accomplishments through a negative lens.

Impacts on Opportunities and Being a Beginner

It can be difficult to start something and feel confident or brave enough to stick with it.

This is something I know all too well, with the many projects and pivots in my online business over the last 5 years.

As a beginner, it can be tough to feel okay as a beginner because you are seeing so many successful people that are light years ahead of you that you think that they magically got to that point.

Except they were a beginner too.

Honestly, once I started accepting that it was okay to be a beginner and be seen as one and that I wouldn't always be one, this part of the imposter syndrome I felt started fading.

Background of Imposter Syndrome

Don't worry, this isn't a boring history class where the instructor droned on and on about a topic and you weren't sure how you got from point A to point B. (It wasn't just me, right?)

One of the best ways to learn a new concept is to travel back in time and see how it originated.

Back in 1978, an article was written by Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes, that introduced the idea of imposter phenomenon. It was initially observed in high-achieving woman. They defined it as "an internal experience of intellectual phoniness."

Examples of Impostor Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome likes to rear its head in various scenarios leaving you feeling like you don't belong or are not qualified because you didn't go to "expert school."

Common Scenarios Where Impostor Syndrome Pop Up

1. Starting a New Project: When you begin a new creative project, you might doubt your abilities and feel like you're not skilled enough to see it through to completion.

2. Sticking with a New Project: Maybe you were able to successfully start and then you begin to feel like you have 9,456 eyeballs all boring into your soul because you are a fraud and you panic. Because oh the pressure. And you stop.

3. Receiving Praise: Being a creator of any sort, it can be easy to downplay compliments on your creations, attributing success to luck rather than talent, hard work, grit or a number of different things.

4. Comparing Yourself to Others: Oh, this one is a classic scenario. And has definitely been magnified by social media and the curation that is happening the feed. You only get to see a snapshot of what the person behind the account wants you to see. This can start to skew reality.

5. When you are writing an article about Imposter Syndrome: Okay fine, this one is not common, (probably?), but is literally my current reality as I write this article. (Oh, the irony).

Famous Personalities Who Struggled with Impostor Syndrome

J.K. Rowling:

The renowned author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, has openly spoken about battling impostor syndrome. Despite her immense success, she has admitted to feeling like a fraud and fearing being exposed as a talentless writer.

Maya Angelou:

Even the iconic poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou faced feelings of inadequacy throughout her illustrious career. Despite her numerous accolades and contributions to literature and society, she often questioned her abilities and accomplishments, showcasing the universality of impostor syndrome.

Vincent Van Gogh:

The legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh struggled with self-doubt and insecurity, despite his significant impact on the art world. His famous works were underappreciated during his lifetime, leading him to doubt his artistic talent and worth as a creator.

I hope that you now have a clearer picture surrounding what imposter is and how it can show up when you least expect it. Bam!

One of the many reasons that I launched Crazy Decisions is because I had felt imposter syndrome so many times when it came to launching and building my business over the years.

And I was sick and tired of it. I wanted Crazy Decisions to represent me and help the people I knew I could help.

And if you have been experiencing any pangs of imposter syndrome, I know how it feels.

Do you have any other questions? Or do you need to commiserate about an imposter syndrome story? I get it. My email inbox is open: ree [at] crazydecisions [dot] com