Imposter Feelings: 4 Strategies to Manage Your Imposter

Are you one of 80% of professionals feeling like a fraud at work? Do you sometimes look at your colleagues and think that you do not deserve to be in this group?

Next time these thoughts creep into your mind, take another look around the (virtual) room and think about the 80% of people that are in exactly your shoes! Most likely each of your colleagues in that room feels or has felt the same as you - yes, also your boss!

Luckily, imposter syndrome has received more attention in recent years - also within Positive Psychology research. As a result, a few evidence-based strategies have been identified that can really help you to get to know and manage your imposter better. In this article we will review 4 strategies to help you beat your imposter at work. But first things first:

Get to know your imposter

Your first step is to get to know your imposter better. It’s like with every good relationship: the more you know about each other, the better you find a rhythm together. So treat your imposter with fresh curiosity and be your own observer. For the next week or two, pay attention when your imposter shows up. Have a piece of paper at your desk and take note of the following every time your imposter appears:

What triggers can you identify that activate your imposter feelings?

What kind of things is your imposter telling you? Write down the thoughts you notice.

How long does your imposter pay a visit for?

What makes your imposter go quiet again - or even leave?

Once you have collected a few examples, review this data and look for patterns. For some people, their imposter is triggered by speaking in front of a group of people, but not so much in 1:1 settings. Other people report feeling like a fraud when they get tasked with something that pushes them out of their comfort zone. The imposter shows up different for different people, therefore it’s an important first step for you to understand when it shows up for you

How to manage your imposter feelings at work

Once you know your imposter a bit better, it becomes easier to manage it. Here are 4 evidence-based strategies to manage your imposter feelings with confidence:

Replace the negative self-talk

One thing all imposter feelings have in common is their love for negative self-talk. It’s this nagging voice in your head telling you that you are not good enough, that this is impossible to achieve, and that there are certainly way more qualified people out there who would do a much better job than you!

Next time you notice these negative thoughts running through your head, break the cycle and turn them upside down. Pep-talk yourself out loud and say the opposite of what the nagging voice in your head says:

I am good enough!

I am well qualified for this job!

I can do it just as well as others!

I’ve got this!

This technique is called positive affirmations, and you can learn more about the science behind them here.

Visualise success

Typically, when overrun by imposter feelings, people tend to envision a worst-case scenario to channel the worry and fear they feel. A prominent strategy to manage this worry is to visualise the best-case scenario instead! Try to envision success by closing your eyes and develop a detailed picture of how this will turn out when you nail it! If you are a keen writer, you may find writing about the best-case scenario for about 5 to 10 minutes will silence your imposter.

Think about the following while you develop your best-case scenario:

What is the best possible outcome of this for me?

How will other people react when I succeed?

How will I feel when this is a success?

What can I learn from this situation?

Track and celebrate success

You can teach your imposter to stay at bay by showcasing and counting all the successes that you have - I bet there are more than you realise! Keep track of your personal and professional wins on paper or in a file where you can add over time. No win is too small! Be generous and note down every success that you achieve. Your colleague gave you a compliment for a presentation? Write it down! Your co-worker asked you for advice? Write it down! You finished a task that was challenging? Write it down! You nailed that presentation even though you were a bit scared? Write that down, too!

Keep adding to your win-list! This list is your fact sheet - and facts keep every imposter at bay!

Talk about it

Remember from earlier, that 80% of professionals have imposter syndrome? You are not alone! Talk about it with your trusted colleagues, ask them if they experience similar feelings at work. What strategies work for them? What can you learn from each other? Support yourself and your colleagues. Share what you learn.