Don’t worry: even Michelle Obama says she has it. So, if you do, you’re in good company.
Imposter syndrome is a mental condition. On BBC.com, psychotherapist Rachel Buchan describes it as “an internal belief that you are not good enough or don’t belong”.
It often affects people in social situations, but it can also surface at work or whenever you’re fulfilling a role you feel you’re somehow inadequate to do or fill.
Do you feel like you just can’t possibly be the one to get the job done? You may have it.
Why some people suffer from feeling like they’re in someone else’s shoes, isn’t always easy to pinpoint.
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Buchan says that impostor syndrome can be caused by a person’s upbringing, their general background, or the specific pressures in the situation they find themselves in.
Seeing a therapist to talk it out can help, if you feel like you’re battling to get yourself through the day. And choosing to accept that you have it, and redirecting those negative feelings into a positive force can be effective at helping you move forwards.
As consultant Noel Ferguson told BBC.com,
“Many see it as a burden but I have used it to my benefit. I am thankful I have impostor syndrome because a way of dealing with it is to always strive to be better.”
Reach for the moon and you’ll land among the stars, and there’s no time like the present, as they say.
