Read on to learn more about your inner negative voice, how it\u2019s sabotaging your success, and the steps you can take to limit its influence on your life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is imposter syndrome, and who suffers from it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nImposter syndrome is a term used to describe feelings of inadequacy and inferiority <\/strong>that aren\u2019t rooted in reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen someone is awarded a promotion, for example, you might expect them to feel proud of their work and grateful for the recognition. Someone who suffers from imposter syndrome will instead struggle to understand why they\u2019ve been selected, looking for any possible explanation beyond the obvious: that they deserve it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the difficult thing about imposter syndrome: it can be hard to shake feelings of self-doubt, regardless of how much evidence exists to contradict these negative assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, you could be told a million times that you\u2019re excellent at your job\u2014but if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you\u2019ll probably still feel like you\u2019re under-performing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imposter syndrome is often experienced by those you\u2019d least expect it to affect. Universally beloved actor Tom Hanks has admitted to suffering from it, as has COO of Facebook<\/a> Sheryl Sandberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis just goes to show that imposter syndrome isn\u2019t always obvious to outsiders, and it can affect even the most objectively successful people in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It isn\u2019t just an affliction of the elite, though. A recent Twitter poll revealed that 87% of people surveyed had suffered from imposter syndrome at least once in their life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMaybe it\u2019s time to understand this phenomenon better. That way, the next time you start to suspect everyone in the world is more qualified and mysteriously better at their jobs than you, you\u2019ll know what\u2019s really going on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5 signs you might suffer from imposter syndrome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n- You minimize your achievements.<\/strong>
When you accomplish something<\/a>, you downplay its significance, even though you\u2019d find it impressive from literally anybody else!
If you\u2019ve ever responded to \u201ccongratulations\u201d with \u201cit\u2019s no big deal,\u201d \u201cI got lucky,\u201d or \u201canybody could have done it,\u201d then you\u2019re showing signs of imposter syndrome.
<\/li>- You project your success onto other people.<\/strong> When sufferers of imposter syndrome do well, they often find themselves giving other people the credit. This goes beyond gratitude into self-effacement.
Remember, arrogance is unbecoming, but so is excessive humility. If you find yourself deflecting praise away from yourself, you may be experiencing imposter syndrome.
<\/li>- You assume that your supporters are either lying or \u201cjust being nice.\u201d<\/strong> Can you accept compliments without looking for an ulterior motive or an alternative explanation? If not, it\u2019s time to examine your imposter syndrome.
Sufferers are often unable to take praise at face value. They\u2019ll look for any excuse to dismiss the positive feedback they receive.
<\/li>- You\u2019re scared to try new things or be \u201cbad\u201d at anything. <\/strong>Confident people understand that failure is part of growth<\/a> and that you have to start new things badly to get better at them.
Someone suffering from imposter syndrome has such a shaky sense of self that they\u2019re scared to reveal any weaknesses. Because they already feel undeserving of their position, they secretly believe that the smallest error might expose them as a fraud.
<\/li>- You dilute your words.<\/strong> Are you someone who shies away from expressing a strong opinion, even when you\u2019re directly asked for your perspective?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
This often manifests as minimizing language; for example, saying \u201cI\u2019m not sure\u201d when you are, or bookending every statement you make with \u201cI could be wrong, though!\u201d The excessive use of wishy-washy words like \u201cmight,\u201d \u201cjust,\u201d and \u201ckind of\u201d are telltale signs of imposter syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How imposter syndrome can limit your potential<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIronically, one side effect of imposter syndrome is that you may end up convincing others that you\u2019re less capable than you are. If you consistently fight back against other people\u2019s positive opinions of you, that negativity may start to rub off on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unhealthy amounts of self-doubt undermine your credibility. When you undervalue your perspective, you encourage others to do the same. If you start your sentences with \u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d then expect people to treat them with the lightness that you do. Understandably, they won\u2019t be sure either!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, imposter syndrome can limit your potential by dissuading you from trying new things and taking the necessary risks to grow. You\u2019ve already made your comfort zone uncomfortable, which means you\u2019ll be too focused on self-preservation to pursue self-development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Business](\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/FOTOS-BLOG-42-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to manage imposter syndrome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n- Respect other people\u2019s opinions.<\/strong> You may not realize it, but when you minimize or reject positive feedback, you\u2019re dismissing someone else\u2019s perspective, which can be hurtful for them.
By reframing compliments in this way, you can learn to receive them gracefully.
<\/li>- Keep a record of your successes.<\/strong> Imposter syndrome isn\u2019t rooted in reality, but you can still use hard facts to challenge it.
The next time your negative inner voice implies that you\u2019re incapable, turn to your list of achievements that says otherwise. Remind yourself regularly of the challenges you\u2019ve overcome in the past.
<\/li>- Make connections with coworkers.<\/strong> People suffering from imposter syndrome often feel like they need to present themselves as polished and perfect at all times. Sadly, this prevents them from accessing the support they need.
Instead, practice asking for help and constructive feedback on your work. This will help build up resilience and challenge the underlying belief that you\u2019re expected to be all-knowing at all times.
Once you get to know your peers, you\u2019ll soon discover that they, too, suffer from moments of imposter syndrome! Maybe you can even help each other manage it.
After all, self-doubt is normal, but that doesn\u2019t mean it should be allowed to sabotage your success.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Define_750x125_3-1.gif\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Have you ever felt like a fraud? Do you tend to write your achievements off as flukes rather than give yourself credit for what you\u2019ve accomplished? When you receive a compliment, do you imagine that you\u2019ve tricked someone rather than truly impressed them? If you answered \u201cyes\u201d to any of the above, you might be suffering from a case of imposter syndrome. Don\u2019t worry; it\u2019s a surprisingly common affliction. However, you\u2019ll need to overcome this issue (or at least learn to manage it) if you want to fulfill your full potential. Read on to learn more about your inner negative […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1771,1764],"tags":[1707],"class_list":["post-32012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-trends","category-eu-business-school","tag-business-advice","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\n
Do You Suffer From Imposter Syndrome?<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you ever felt like a fraud? Do you tend to write your achievements off as flukes rather than give yourself credit for what you\u2019ve accomplished?\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/do-you-suffer-from-imposter-syndrome-how-to-identify-and-manage-your-inner-negative-voice\/\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"EU Business School\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/do-you-suffer-from-imposter-syndrome-how-to-identify-and-manage-your-inner-negative-voice\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"EU Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"EU Business School\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Do You Suffer From Imposter Syndrome? How to Identify and Manage Your Inner Negative Voice\"}]}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Do You Suffer From Imposter Syndrome?","description":"Have you ever felt like a fraud? Do you tend to write your achievements off as flukes rather than give yourself credit for what you\u2019ve accomplished?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/do-you-suffer-from-imposter-syndrome-how-to-identify-and-manage-your-inner-negative-voice\/","author":"EU Business School","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/do-you-suffer-from-imposter-syndrome-how-to-identify-and-manage-your-inner-negative-voice\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"EU Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EU Business School","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Do You Suffer From Imposter Syndrome? How to Identify and Manage Your Inner Negative Voice"}]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32012"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35753,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32012\/revisions\/35753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
When someone is awarded a promotion, for example, you might expect them to feel proud of their work and grateful for the recognition. Someone who suffers from imposter syndrome will instead struggle to understand why they\u2019ve been selected, looking for any possible explanation beyond the obvious: that they deserve it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the difficult thing about imposter syndrome: it can be hard to shake feelings of self-doubt, regardless of how much evidence exists to contradict these negative assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, you could be told a million times that you\u2019re excellent at your job\u2014but if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you\u2019ll probably still feel like you\u2019re under-performing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imposter syndrome is often experienced by those you\u2019d least expect it to affect. Universally beloved actor Tom Hanks has admitted to suffering from it, as has COO of Facebook<\/a> Sheryl Sandberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This just goes to show that imposter syndrome isn\u2019t always obvious to outsiders, and it can affect even the most objectively successful people in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It isn\u2019t just an affliction of the elite, though. A recent Twitter poll revealed that 87% of people surveyed had suffered from imposter syndrome at least once in their life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe it\u2019s time to understand this phenomenon better. That way, the next time you start to suspect everyone in the world is more qualified and mysteriously better at their jobs than you, you\u2019ll know what\u2019s really going on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This often manifests as minimizing language; for example, saying \u201cI\u2019m not sure\u201d when you are, or bookending every statement you make with \u201cI could be wrong, though!\u201d The excessive use of wishy-washy words like \u201cmight,\u201d \u201cjust,\u201d and \u201ckind of\u201d are telltale signs of imposter syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ironically, one side effect of imposter syndrome is that you may end up convincing others that you\u2019re less capable than you are. If you consistently fight back against other people\u2019s positive opinions of you, that negativity may start to rub off on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unhealthy amounts of self-doubt undermine your credibility. When you undervalue your perspective, you encourage others to do the same. If you start your sentences with \u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d then expect people to treat them with the lightness that you do. Understandably, they won\u2019t be sure either!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, imposter syndrome can limit your potential by dissuading you from trying new things and taking the necessary risks to grow. You\u2019ve already made your comfort zone uncomfortable, which means you\u2019ll be too focused on self-preservation to pursue self-development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have you ever felt like a fraud? Do you tend to write your achievements off as flukes rather than give yourself credit for what you\u2019ve accomplished? When you receive a compliment, do you imagine that you\u2019ve tricked someone rather than truly impressed them? If you answered \u201cyes\u201d to any of the above, you might be suffering from a case of imposter syndrome. Don\u2019t worry; it\u2019s a surprisingly common affliction. However, you\u2019ll need to overcome this issue (or at least learn to manage it) if you want to fulfill your full potential. Read on to learn more about your inner negative […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1771,1764],"tags":[1707],"class_list":["post-32012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-trends","category-eu-business-school","tag-business-advice","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\n5 signs you might suffer from imposter syndrome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When you accomplish something<\/a>, you downplay its significance, even though you\u2019d find it impressive from literally anybody else!
If you\u2019ve ever responded to \u201ccongratulations\u201d with \u201cit\u2019s no big deal,\u201d \u201cI got lucky,\u201d or \u201canybody could have done it,\u201d then you\u2019re showing signs of imposter syndrome.
<\/li>
Remember, arrogance is unbecoming, but so is excessive humility. If you find yourself deflecting praise away from yourself, you may be experiencing imposter syndrome.
<\/li>
Sufferers are often unable to take praise at face value. They\u2019ll look for any excuse to dismiss the positive feedback they receive.
<\/li>
Someone suffering from imposter syndrome has such a shaky sense of self that they\u2019re scared to reveal any weaknesses. Because they already feel undeserving of their position, they secretly believe that the smallest error might expose them as a fraud.
<\/li>How imposter syndrome can limit your potential<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to manage imposter syndrome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
By reframing compliments in this way, you can learn to receive them gracefully.
<\/li>
The next time your negative inner voice implies that you\u2019re incapable, turn to your list of achievements that says otherwise. Remind yourself regularly of the challenges you\u2019ve overcome in the past.
<\/li>
Instead, practice asking for help and constructive feedback on your work. This will help build up resilience and challenge the underlying belief that you\u2019re expected to be all-knowing at all times.
Once you get to know your peers, you\u2019ll soon discover that they, too, suffer from moments of imposter syndrome! Maybe you can even help each other manage it.
After all, self-doubt is normal, but that doesn\u2019t mean it should be allowed to sabotage your success.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n