Last Imposter Project

Do you feel like the faster you progress in your career, the more you feel like you "don't belong"?

Do you feel like no matter how much you try, you're still drinking from the firehose?

It's all about mindset. If you can believe it, you can be it.

But Imposter Syndrome is something that affects many professionals. In fact, it effects 70% of professionals every year, or over 200M people in America each year.

The feeling of being an imposter appears to be reminiscent of Mindset Theory, a set of ideas based on the fundamental belief regarding whether or not people think their abilities are subject to change.

The more you believe your abilities are malleable, the more likely you are to focus on developing them, knowing you have the potential to do so. BE DYNAMIC!

Alternatively, if you believe your abilities are fixed, you don’t strive to better yourself and instead fall victim to the idea that any shortcoming is indicative of your inevitable inability to perform. DON'T GET STUCK!

In an interview with NPR, Academy Award Winning actor, Tom Hanks, explained that he felt particularly connected to his character in “A Hologram for the King” because he too has experienced self-doubt.

Hanks said, “No matter what we've done, there comes a point where you think, 'How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?' "

These are all normal feelings one gets as we move up the corporate ladder, as we move an inch towards success. Yet, without attaining our own convoluted version of "success", we get feelings of doubt.

TIP: Try journaling your inner thoughts of doubt, writing the rationale for your doubts, as well as the rebuttal against it. More likely than not, you will see how the positives of your success to date, really outnumber the doubtful thoughts.

One step at a time!

Tip on Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Identifying imposter feelings and bringing them out into the light of day:

1. Talking to a trusted friend or mentor about your distress can help you get some outside context on the situation.

2. Sharing imposter feelings can help them feel less overwhelming.

3. Opening up to peers about how you feel encourages them to do the same, helping you realize you aren’t the only one who feels like an imposter.