Master Your Brain to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

Imagine if an inner voice was constantly telling you that you are a fraud.                   




At any moment, someone could tap you on the shoulder, and tell you that you are not very good, certainly not an asset to the business, and you may want to think about a new career.

No matter how much you accomplish, you feel like a fraud. People with impostor syndrome see all the signs of their success – earning good money, reward and recognition, a nice home…yet feel like they just got lucky, achieving not just through hard work, or merit, and talent, but by luck! They live in constant fear that someone will realise that they don’t really deserve their achievements or to hold the position they do.

It’s exhausting, uses a lot of energy and it strips you of your confidence.

Tara Swart, a leadership consultant, neuroscientist, and medical doctor has been helping people overcome the condition for years.  “There is a common idea that women suffer from this syndrome more than men,” says Swart. “That could be because women are generally more open to talking about their feelings of inadequacy and lack of confidence than men are.” But it’s not actually a gendered affliction. She says that most (“80% to 90%”) of her clients are men, noting that that could be due to gender imbalances across board rooms. Some who suffer from impostor syndrome are also found to suffer from stress, suggesting that high levels of cortisol can trigger the condition, while others have been found to have lower levels of testosterone, which can affect how confident we feel”.

Swart also says the rise of social media, “the ability to compare oneself constantly to colleagues or peers,” has likely made these feelings of inadequacy more widespread. She also believes that impostor syndrome may be exacerbated by how businesses are often organised, “which gears toward success being awarded to highly competitive, confident staff.” Swart says that impostor syndrome “underlies everything and biases your decision making to fear and risk aversion.” 

Even if you feel confident about your abilities and achievements, most of the time you will have a gnawing self-doubt asking yourself am I good enough? Convincing yourself that you managed to fake it to others that you are the right person for the job.  You can manage to do the role well if you work two or three times harder than everyone else.  Exhausting!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there is no magic fix for people suffering impostor syndrome, yet you can learn to overcome this negative infliction in time.

Here are some tools you may wish to use:

For every negative thought, replace with at least three positive thoughts.

Positive statements that you can speak out loud or say in your head will change your mindset.  It’s impossible to have a negative and positive thought going on in your head at the same time.

Tara Swart has a few favourite phrases that seem to work for most people such as, “I am truly capable…,” or, “I make great decisions…”  

Focus on what you do well, what you have achieved and what you are proud of.

This reminds you of what you are capable of. Remember and visualise your past successes, both personally and or professionally.

Train your brain to override your self-doubt.

“Neuroscience-based coaching, such as some forms of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), can help people to understand how neuroplasticity–the brain’s ability to change itself–can overwrite brain pathways with preferred attitudes and behaviours. CBT techniques allow you to unlearn old habits and learn new ways of being,” Swart says. But CBT isn’t a quick fix. “I tell clients that this takes about as long and is about as difficult as learning a new language.”

You learn to live and move on with imposter syndrome. That’s not to say those inhibiting feelings won’t surface again in the future, perhaps triggered by being put out of your comfort zone or commencing a new role in a new company.

Do something you are afraid of every day. 

And it doesn’t have to be bungy jumping off a tall building, it can be to have a conflicting conversation or making a cold call.  Stepping out of your comfort zone on a regular basis makes everything look different than the negative scenarios and conversations you have in your mind.