How Common Is the Imposter Syndrome?

Drs. Caroline Gerin-Lajoie & Kerri Ritchie

In health care and in the world these days, there is a lot of change and uncertainty. Our instinct when this happens, can be to look inward and then to compare. We may attempt to explain our experience of stress and anxiety as insecurity and self doubt. We can worry that someone will discover that we don't always have the answers, all of the skills, or know how to do everything. This can be at work, in relationships, including parenting. And so... the imposter syndrome takes hold.

The concept of the imposter syndrome has been around since 1978. According to research about 82% of the population has felt like an imposter in one or more of their roles at some point. So why is this so common?

• Being conscientious can sometimes go too far into needing to be "perfect" and finding fault in things that other people would see as accomplishments.

• Feeling like we need to do it all i.e. believing we "super humans" can result in doing more than anyone can at one time, and then getting to a point where we are completely overwhelmed.

•  Some people can fear both success and failure. Success may mean that we need to believe that we need to continue performing. We are always one step from a misstep that will reveal the reality of our failures, and if it isn't this time and we "succeed" it will be the next time.

  
  

The good news is that we can move past this belief system.

• Start by separating our feelings from facts.

• Create reminders of past successes by keeping messages, cards, kudos, and emails that we can review when the imposter syndrome creeps in.

• Imagine what we would say to a friend or colleague if they were struggling with the imposter syndrome. We might respond that part of being human is having moments of self doubt.

• Reach out to a trusted colleague, friend, or mentor and get in time feedback.

With social media, reality tv, and our inability to read other people's minds we can easily fall into the imposter syndrome trap. Remember no one is perfect, no one does everything well every time. No one knows everything.