But by now, 40 years later, studies<\/a> have shown that roughly 70 percent of the population, men as well as women, are affected by these feelings. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n So why do so many people feel like fakes and frauds, especially in their professional lives? To find out, let\u2019s dive deeper into the psychological phenomenon of imposter syndrome. Spoiler alert: There might be a silver lining to it after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, we know that the imposter phenomenon is characterized by attributing your successes to external factors, instead of to your legitimate skills and abilities. What this leaves you with is a constant sense of self-doubt and a fear of being discovered as a fraud\u2014because clearly, you\u2019ve deceived everyone around you, and it\u2019s only a matter of time until they realize it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imposter syndrome can affect many areas of your life, but for many people this feeling of fraudulence centers around their job. In the workplace, that means constantly living on the edge. With every new project you take on, the same unhealthy pattern is triggered anew. According to Pauline Rose Clance, it looks something like this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The imposter phenomenon is not listed in the DSM, aka the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It has, however, been acknowledged as a real \u2018psychological syndrome\u2019 by the American Psychological Association. But there\u2019s no way of knowing what actually causes it. Psychologists have found several factors that imposter syndrome is linked<\/em> to, but in psych-lingo, that\u2019s association, not causation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take a closer look at some of the factors that are associated with imposter syndrome, and that might explain why it\u2019s on the rise in the 21st century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parenting styles & personality traits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A child who experiences a parenting style that alternates between extreme praise and harsh criticism might end up feeling like an imposter when they\u2019re older, according to psychologist Suzanne Imes. Makes sense\u2014receiving a lot of mixed messages about your performance might make you doubt if you are in fact capable. And personality traits like neuroticism and perfectionism have also been associated with imposter syndrome<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Social networks are great for staying connected with friends (especially during this pandemic!) and for following what\u2019s going on in the world. However, Instagram and other apps also make it so much easier for you to constantly compare yourself to others. In the past, you might have compared yourself to members of your own community\u2014now, the whole world is your benchmark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe cannot escape the comparisons with family members, friends, schoolmates, co-workers, and neighbors,\u201d psychiatrist Dr. Ifeanyi Olele writes<\/a>. \u201cIn addition to being compared with people in your community, school, and\/or job, we have access to social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn where everyone’s achievements and victories are on full display.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Social networks tend to showcase others\u2019 happiest moments. No wonder this makes us feel like imposters amongst all the apparently successful, carefree, and beautiful people around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gig economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Whereas on average boomers held only a relatively small number of jobs during their working lives, millennials are part of a new job-hopping generation<\/a>. Moving around and changing jobs all the time can mean you\u2019re always a beginner who needs to prove yourself, which can trigger or exacerbate imposter feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Being afraid of getting exposed as a so-called fraud is exhausting! Especially when this stress is added to your already demanding life. It can elevate anxiety levels, take a toll on your productivity<\/a> and mental health, and lead to unhealthy habits<\/a> such as procrastination and overpreparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, are all of us \u2018imposters\u2019 doomed? Not quite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The internet is packed with tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome (ranging from replacing negative with positive self-talk<\/a> to turning your nervous energy into excitement<\/a>). But what if doubting yourself actually has some perks? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent studies<\/a> by Basima Tewfik, an assistant professor at MIT, show exactly that. In her first study, she used a survey to divide participants into two groups, one of which was composed of people suffering from \u2018imposter syndrome.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n When given an assignment\u2014to meet and diagnose a medical patient\u2014those who perceived of themselves as being less qualified didn\u2019t perform just as well as those who were free of the syndrome. (What\u2019s more, the so-called \u2018imposters\u2019 were rated as having better interpersonal skills.) In a follow-up study Tewfik conducted, the \u2018imposter\u2019 group actually received better<\/em> performance ratings than their \u2018non-imposter\u2019 counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a New York-based clinical psychologist and author of the new book Nervous Energy<\/a>, offers some reasons why those with \u2018imposter syndrome\u2019 might outperform their peers. \u201cIf you were constantly worried you weren’t truly qualified, and this spurred you to constantly work on improving your professional skills,\u201d she tells Lemonade, \u201c the silver lining would be that you might ultimately end up more qualified thanks to all that obsessive self-improvement.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, it\u2019s a matter of degree and balance\u2014too much \u201cobsessive self-improvement\u201d could lead you feeling stressed and miserable. But with the right approach, it\u2019s possible to leverage the hidden benefits of imposter syndrome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his recent book Think Again<\/a><\/em>, Adam Grant summarizes three main benefits associated with imposter syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Motivation to work harder than anyone around you<\/strong> Openness to new ways of doing things<\/strong> Becoming a better learner<\/strong> Grant also suggests that a slight shift in perception might further help you perceive your imposter syndrome as an advantage (reaching what he refers to as the \u2018the sweet spot of confidence\u2019). Instead of thinking that you don\u2019t have the capabilities to do something, try thinking that you simply haven’t acquired those skills yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suffering from imposter syndrome might be better than unknowingly being inflicted by its inverse: what Grant calls armchair quarterback syndrome, \u201cwhere confidence exceeds competence.\u201d The phenomena of \u201cmansplaining\u201d fits in this category. Think Again<\/em> illustrates the concept with a cartoon by Jason Adam Katzenstein<\/a>, in which we see a young man lecturing his irate dinner date: \u2018Let me interrupt your expertise with my confidence.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is imposter syndrome\u2014and how can it affect your work?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What causes imposter syndrome, and why is it so common?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Silver Lining of Imposter Syndrome<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Once committed to a task, doubting your skills and talents\u2014in moderation\u2014will likely motivate you to give 110%. (<\/em>However, keep in mind that working excessively might increase your chance of burnout.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re not convinced that the way you work is the only<\/em> way, you\u2019re more open to suggestions from others around you, which could lead to a productive change in strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone with imposter syndrome might think\u2014correctly or not\u2014that they lack knowledge. A small dose of this kind of self-doubt could have its benefits, causing you to proactively seek out input and advice from others. This broadens your experience and makes you a better learner. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat about people who never<\/em> doubt themselves?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n