Understanding and Managing the Expression of The Impostor Phenomenon (AKA Impostor Syndrome)
When first asked to write on Impostor Syndrome, I wondered if I was the right woman for the job. I hadn’t heard the term until I started at UNMC about three years ago. My initial impression on this syndrome was that it was a pop culture term more than a diagnosis, and the use of the word syndrome frustrated me because it rings of a certifiable illness. In my mind, the last thing people need is another label to place on themselves. And, to me, imposter syndrome could be reduced. My inner skeptic felt that all “impostor syndrome” is doing is giving a fancy name to issues of diminished self-esteem, negative cognitions, adjustment difficulties, and perfectionism. But since I was asked to write about this, I recalled a famous warning, something like “one should not object prior to inquiry” and felt this was probably good advice to heed, and to dig a bit deeper on the matter. Here is what I learned:
In 1985, Dr. Pauline Clance of Oberlin College coined the term “Imposter Syndrome.” She famously characterized it as, “the fear that haunts your success.” In 2015, the term was updated to “Imposter Phenomenon”, as the imposter phenomenon is not pathological (as the name “syndrome” would imply), but more of a “non- or sub-clinical set of cognitive traits.” (source) Below are said traits observed in individuals dealing with the Imposter Phenomenon:
- Intense thoughts of intellectual and/or professional fraudulence, despite verifiable achievements
- Lack of pride in and/or inability to internalize successes/accomplishments
- Believe that successes are due to luck, error, connections – not one’s own actions
- Fear being exposed as incompetent or unintelligent
- Overgeneralize a single failure as being representative of one’s total identity
As you might imagine, there are some adverse consequences of the Imposter Phenomenon. These are especially pronounced in the work/career fields. Some of these effects include reduced motivation to lead, reduced engagement in career planning, and reduced sense of job satisfaction and commitment. What happens is that a person believes so negatively about themselves, they begin to believe themselves to be incapable, thus begins “the impostor cycle.”
This cycle didn’t likely begin with your first job, or even your first academic challenge. These type of thinking patterns frequently begin at some point in childhood. The way you were raised and socialized will have a big impact on the extent to which you experience the Impostor Phenomenon. The way you think about yourself, your locus of control (i.e., internal – “I am responsible for my successes” vs. external – “my success is based on luck”), can also predict the degree to which you experience the Impostor Phenomenon. In this way, many who deal with the Impostor Phenomenon have a fixed mindset – meaning they believe human attributes (such as intelligence) are fixed, not malleable.
It’s important to note that those who exhibit the impostor phenomenon do not fall into any one diagnostic category. However, the clinical symptoms most frequently reported are consistent with anxiety and depressive disorders (source).
If you are thinking this sounds like you, or you would like to self-assess further, try Clance’s IP Scale to find out for yourself.
If these traits are those you can relate with, I would suggest first acknowledging that you have an inner critic that is trying to motivate you to do better, achieve more. In this way, the inner critic seems to have a purpose, and we can practice understanding towards that part of ourselves. If we don’t self-assess and review how we’re doing (critique) from time-to-time, then we can’t grow and achieve new goals; so, we need an inner critic to motivate at times.
At the same time, it’s important to keep that internal critic in check, and in line with reality. Sometimes the inner critic can only respond to emotions and circumstances, has a hard time seeing the big picture. When I notice this type of response in myself, I try to validate the critic, at least a little, and show it some appreciation for trying to make me better. At the same time, trying to balance the message from the inner critic by looking to the facts of my life, my circumstances, to see if there is any information or truths that my inner critic is not seeing or leaving out. For example, I can say to myself, “I feel like a crappy therapist, but I’ve got regular clients that keep showing up each week.”
Observing the difference between feelings and facts can be immensely helpful towards managing the expression of the Imposter Phenomenon.
Another similar, and simple, exercise to try might be to create two columns on a sheet of paper. On the left, you will list all the emotional thoughts (i.e., “I’m an idiot, other people are better, I looked so dumb today in class,” etc.) and on the right you will list facts (i.e., “I’m in a high-level professional program, I have some meaningful relationships, I am safe in my day-to-day,” etc.). Writing things like this down provides a mirror for you to reflect on your thoughts in a new way. It also engages your body (right brain) in the act of writing and gets the left hemisphere of your brain online with the use of language, so you can tap into both your emotional and logical parts of the brain at once. Finding balance between emotion and logic is what some might refer to as wisdom, something most of us want more of!
Also, there is a spectrum on which individuals might experience the above traits. There are environmental circumstances that might make one more susceptible to more severe expressions of the Imposter Phenomenon. Consider the challenges involved in transition, to a new job, or path of study. Just like plants, we are more vulnerable when transplanted. We benefit from extra tending to – adherence to routines, sleep, exercise, continued connections with others. But that’s often not possible to maintain in the exact same way when entering a new environment and taking on new responsibilities. Things change and we can adapt, but that takes time. You might find that if you are in a time of transition, Imposter Phenomenon expresses itself at a greater level, and that once you find your new routine, it will lessen.
Key to that last bit is not only giving yourself time and grace to adapt, but also making the effort to adapt. You may not be able to do all the things you did before nursing school to keep yourself feeling well each day – and you may not be able to commit the same amount of time to those activities – but it will help alleviate the stress of transition, and the Imposter Phenomenon can be lessened, with regular attention to self-care basics. I like to reference Dialectical Behavior Therapy’s PLEASE skills as a guideline. It’s an acronym, so easy to remember:
- Treat Physical Illness,
- Balance Eating,
- Avoid mood altering drugs and alcohol,
- balance Sleep, and
- Get Exercise.
Anytime you find yourself struggling emotionally, you can try checking in with yourself to see how you are doing with these basics, and encouraging yourself to make even the smallest efforts at improvement in these areas. Small efforts add up and can make big differences over time. You might find that once you start taking good care of yourself, you get a little addicted to it because it feels good! So don’t feel bad to start small, as changing behavior takes time and you can continually grow stronger.
Last, you can reduce expression of the Impostor Phenomenon by adopting a growth mindset. Remind yourself daily that the brain you have today won’t look exactly the same tomorrow because it is constantly gathering new information and making new neural connections. We, of all the creatures, have the ability to practice consciousness of our own thoughts, so please use that to your advantage! Observe and notice when you are in a fixed mindset, no need to judge it harshly – it happens! All the difficult stuff that happens to us really does make us stronger, wiser, more resilient, and even more approachable and interesting to others.
Take in “failures” as data for fueling future successes – as the most unpleasant experiences usually turn out to have the most utility.
In Conclusion, the Impostor Phenomenon has greater legitimacy than I initially gave it credit. I appreciate the change from “syndrome” to “phenomenon” as being kinder, less judgmental. It also seems to be a useful way to understand and validate some common feelings individuals may have about themselves as they embark on new career or academic programs – especially in our high-achieving culture at UNMC. I try to remind myself daily that even if I’m not hitting all the headlines, I’m contributing to this awesome work in providing support to all of you. By that same token you all are also contributing to the larger whole and can hopefully allow yourself some of that credit!
I hope you will think well of yourself as often as you can and strive to balance the care of others with the care of yourself.