How Confident are YOU?

Many ambitious high achieving professionals fear that they are not really as bright and capable as others tend to think they are. As they climb the career ladder they have apprehension and self-doubt.  Although they have accomplishments, they tend to attribute these achievements to luck.  All this weighs heavily on an already full plate.

Seemingly very successful business leaders at every level of the organization, entrepreneurs, rising stars worry that they’re not as great as others think they are. Although they’ve faced every challenge, received recognition and promotions, their customers’ think they’re a super star they fear that they will be found out!

The imposter syndrome can hold you back from pursuing dreams and goals. It prohibits you from feeling pride and a sense of accomplishment. It can cause you to work harder than anyone else to convince yourself that if you were really as smart and capable as everyone else believes, you wouldn’t have to work so hard.  The fear can be paralyzing and terrifying, if you allow it!

If you’re one of the many, here are some more effective strategies:

• Be aware of the phenomenon.
• Make a list of the situations in which the feelings are likely to strike.
• Take an objective inventory of your accomplishments and skills.
• Stop being such a perfectionist! Allow yourself to make some mistakes and learn from them.
• Keep track of praise and compliments you receive; accept it the external validation!
• Disown your failures and stop blaming yourself for setbacks that are out of your control.
• Talk to others you admire about their worries about their own achievements.
• Set a modest goal for confronting this fear and think up a couple of steps you can take in the next month toward reaching it.
• Break frightening tasks into several parts. If possible, start with the easiest part.
• Separate feelings from reality.
• Gain experience, education, and training.
• Develop relationships with mentors.
• Be selective about the drive to prove yourself.  Do a great job when it matters most. Don’t persevere over routine tasks.
• Ask for and allow help from others
• Recognize that everyone who does something new, takes risks, or stretches outside their comfort zone feels off-base at the beginning
• Stop expecting to know everything

For more information about the Imposter Syndrome, visit:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/200907/the-imposter-syndrome

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/22/imposter-syndrome-professional-fraud-forbes-woman-leadership-psychology.html

http://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/the-impostor-syndrome-when-fear-blocks-success.html

To take the quiz to see if you’re suffering from the Imposter Syndrome, click here:  http://impostorsyndrome.com/quiz.htm