Lack of self-confidence, worthlessness, feeling of illegitimacy … Some people constantly doubt their abilities and are convinced that their incompetence will eventually be exposed. It's impostor syndrome. How do you know if you have it and, most importantly, how to remedy it?
What is impostor syndrome?
Described for the first time, in 1978, by the American psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, the “phenomenon of imposture”, as they then called it, expresses a feeling of permanent doubt or the persistent conviction of not to be up to the task and have difficulty making ownership of their own successes. "Impostor Syndrome is that voice telling you that you suck and that one day, for sure, you will be unmasked. It terrifies you. You are convinced of it, it is only a matter of time for those around you to unmask you ", explain Cécile Dupire and Guillemette Panayi, certified professional coaches and authors of the playful book If you believed in Santa Claus for 6 years, you can believe in yourself 5 minutes (Larousse), who dissects the impostor syndrome. "It will happen at the next challenge, because so far it's obvious you've been lucky."
At first glance, however, these individuals have something to be proud of about their career: good grades at school, diplomas, promotions at work … Yet they still doubt their abilities. According to Journal of Behavioral Science, 70% of people around the world suffer from impostor syndrome at some point in their lives. “They attribute all of their success to external causes or to the timely alignment of the planets. If you are terribly afraid of being unmasked, then you continuously or occasionally suffer from the feeling of sham ", say the two experts.
Test: do you suffer from impostor syndrome?
Where does the imposture complex come from?
"The feeling of imposture does not come from the real difficulties encountered, but from the parental and societal messages with which you are confronted". This duty of legitimacy is felt from childhood, according to the two authors. "As the doctorates in clinical psychology Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes underline, the family experience conditions your representations of your intelligence, your abilities and your success", they specify. "The representation of success and its abilities, for the child, is constructed from parental approval messages, whether these are implicit or explicit."
Beyond the family circle, the school system and the vision of failure in our society weigh in the balance. "The unspoken rules of the school system as well as the words of teachers are very structuring, especially when the child projects strong representations in the school", add the authors.
A female syndrome?
This fraud syndrome affects women more than men. "Women face, professionally, the obligation to break the glass ceiling to obtain positions that match their skills", analyze Cécile Dupire and Guillemette Panayi. “But while men try their luck and blame their failures on external causes, women question their intelligence. Their demand for themselves is such that they struggle to earn their place and redouble their energy to compensate for the very patriarchal social conditioning they have faced from childhood. "
And while everyone can experience the sham at one point or another in their professional life, it has a disproportionate effect on certain social groups, a Slate article points out. "Women, those of color and in particular black women, as well as the LGBT + community are the most affected", says Brian Daniel Norton, psychotherapist and executive coach in New York, interviewed by the BBC. "When you experience systemic oppression or have been told directly or indirectly all your life that you do not deserve success, and you start to accomplish things in a way that goes against popular belief. , then the impostor syndrome is likely to appear ”, he explains.
How does it manifest itself?
This phenomenon of impostor syndrome tends to have two main effects. "Either overload, which can lead to burnout (burnout syndrome); or procrastination, which can lead to bore-out (boredom burnout syndrome) ", note Cécile Dupire and Guillemette Panayi. “In both cases, you go through a key stage: that of anxiety, doubts, nightmares and stress. There, you have two options: either overinvestment or procrastination. Depending on the option you choose, you will attribute the results either to the inordinate effort you put in or to luck. Either way, you denigrate and reject the positive results, feel like you're not up to the job and have a low sense of self-efficacy. " It is the vicious circle of the feeling of sham.
Boredom at work: do you suffer from "bore-out"?
Free yourself from the impostor syndrome
The impostor syndrome being a psychological mechanism, do not hesitate to consult a psychologist to put words into this feeling of inadequacy and find solutions. Outside help, even from a relative or a friend, is crucial support. To free yourself from it, it is essential to strengthen your self-esteem and identify your successes and strengths. With a few exercises, you will be able to regain your legitimacy and treat yourself with kindness, just as you would your best friend.