Imposter Syndrome

 

Have you ever been in situations where you felt like you didn't belong, even though you were qualified and experienced? 

The term "Imposter Syndrome" was coined in the 1970s to describe these feelings of self-doubt or not being good enough, especially among high-achieving individuals. While it's not an official diagnosis, it's been studied in various fields like science, education, and business. Research from 2020 looked at many studies and found that imposter syndrome is quite common, with rates ranging from 56% to 82% in different groups like graduate students, nurses, and others. Symptoms can include feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, avoiding challenging tasks, and not believing positive feedback.

 Imposter syndrome happens to lots of people, no matter who they are. But it might be more common for folks in minority groups because of racism and other unfair treatment. If you feel like you don't belong or aren't good enough, you're not alone. And even if you see someone else feeling this way, you can help them feel better. Places like the American Psychological Association and Harvard Business Review have tips and tools to deal with imposter syndrome.

Who is most likely to suffer from imposter syndrome?

While imposter syndrome is common and can occur across any age group, gender, profession, or racial demographic, individuals from minority groups may be more likely to experience it due to racism, social stigmas, and microaggressions. If you experience imposter syndrome, know you are not alone.

Is imposter syndrome a mental illness?

It's estimated that 70% of people will experience at least one episode of imposter syndrome during their lifetime. Despite its ubiquity, little is known about the phenomenon. 

How do you fix imposter syndrome?

Treatment for Impostor Syndrome

1.  Individual Psychotherapy. Talk therapy can help manage the roots of impostor syndrome.

2.  Group Therapy.

3.  Cognitive Processing Therapy.

4.  Open Up.

5.  Accept Positive Feedback.

6.  Keep a Log.

7.  Embrace Positive Self-Talk.

8.  Break Out of Your Comfort Zone.

How do I tell if I have imposter syndrome?

Characteristics of imposter syndrome:

1.  Self-doubt.

2.  Undervaluing contributions.

3.  Attributing success to external factors.

4.  Sabotaging self-success.

5.  Setting unrealistic expectations.

6.  Continuous fear of not living up to expectations.

7.  Burnout.

Tips to Overcome It

1.     Cheer Yourself On: Remember and celebrate the good things you've done.

2.     Fight Bad Thoughts: When you doubt yourself, remind yourself of your strengths.

3.     Talk it Out: Don't be afraid to share your feelings with someone you trust.

4.     Learn from Mistakes: It's okay to mess up; just use it as a chance to get better.

5.     Keep Growing: Always look for ways to learn and improve.

Conclusion

Overcoming imposter syndrome is a journey that requires self-awareness, resilience, and support from others. By recognizing the signs of imposter syndrome, understanding its impact, and implementing practical tips for overcoming it, we can gradually build confidence in our abilities and thrive in both personal and professional pursuits. Remember, you are capable, deserving, and worthy of success. Don't let imposter syndrome hold you back from realizing your full potential.

  

https://dceg.cancer.gov/about/diversity-inclusion/inclusivity-minute/2023/imposter-syndrome

By: Taras Ivanuts (Career Peer)

Benefits of Having a Mentor

You cannot succeed in life on your own. In the journey of personal and professional growth, you need guidance, wisdom and support. Mentorships embody all that for a great success story. It is a relationship whit the personal attribute is to advise, support and nurture the mentee to reach their full potential. Let’s explore the profound benefit of mentorships.

· Building Confidence.

Your mentor is, to put it mildly, your personal cheerleader. He provides constructive feedback and encouragement. Mentees gradually build confidence in their abilities to succeed and also help them to conquer their fear of the unknown and gain resilience and determination.

· Personalized Guidance.

What is good for you is not automatically good for someone else. It is not a one size fit all. Each mentorship is designed to address an individual’s unique strength, weakness, goals and aspirations. With this personal approach, your mentor is there to guide you on matters that concern you and only you.

· Personal Growth.

Beyond professional development, mentorships nurture personal growth. Mentors serve as a role model, to inspire and cultivate virtues such as integrity, empathy and perseverance. By imitating these qualities, mentees will mature not only as professionals but also as individuals, with the bonus of having a valuable and long-life relationship.

· Wisdom Transfer.

Mentorships diminish the gap between experience and aspiration. Mentorship brings to the mentee years of knowledge accumulated through years of trials, triumphs and lessons learned. Mentees will not have learned this type of wisdom through textbooks and seminars which will accelerate their learning experience and help avoid difficulties and surprises.

· Career Development.

Mentees will receive guidance on current career paths, offer advice on job search, and provide unique industry insights. Mentees will be able to make informed decisions when taking steps toward making career growth.

· Improved Performance.

Oftentimes individuals who participate in mentorship programs increase their performance because of the new skills they learned, and the feedback received on current progress.

· Importance of active listening.

Not only do mentors offer support, but they also show how valuable it can be to listen to someone in good and bad times. By actively listening, the mentor creates a safe place for the mentee to express themselves. This practice allows trust and strengthens the mentor and mentee relationship. It also help the mentor to understand the challenging, set back and opportunities facing their mentees. As per Alyssa Caraballo, “Coach Mary Beth McGirr has been a major influence in my life, helping me with golf and with learning critical life skills that will aid me throughout my life. She took me under her wing and has been a shining example for me to follow. Additionally, as a woman, she has been an amazing mentor and example of a strong, confident female for me to look up to and admire. Coach Mary Beth has been one of my biggest fans and encourages me to do my best. She takes time to talk about my golf, life, family and personal struggles. She has been an excellent example of a strong leader and businesswoman who consistently gives back to the game and the community.” – Alyssa Caraballo, The First Tee of Roanoke Valley

· Long – term Success.

The influence of mentorship reaches well beyond the duration of the mentorship itself. Mentees carry valuables lessons and values inspired by their mentors throughout their careers and lives. As they progress in their careers, most of the time, mentees become mentors and pay forward all that they have learned perpetuating an ongoing cycle of learning.

The Impact Of Having A Good Mentor - First Tee

The Power Of Mentorship: How Mentors Can Help Employees Grow And Succeed (forbes.com)

Benefits of Mentoring Programs and Mentorship | Guider AI (guider-ai.com)

By: Rose May John (Career Peer)

Changing Careers: Tips on What to Do

 

Changing Careers can be both challenging and at times scary. After getting familiar with the dos and don’ts of a job, starting a new career can be a mind-blowing experience. Here are some tips to help you navigate this transition stress-free. Start by putting on paper what you enjoy doing. What are you good at doing? Do you like what you’re doing presently? A good paid job is always a good motivation but ask yourself if you will be volunteering to do that job for free. This process is called self-assessing.

1.      

Know yourself.

What do you like to do? Make a list of activities and tasks that excite you. These my include:

·         Helping others

·         Solving complex problems

·         Doing stuff with your hands

·         Creating art writing

·         Lead a team or a project

·         Research

·         Mentoring

 

2.      Identify your strengths.

What I am good at doing:

·         Strong communicator

·         Good listener

·         Skilled in problem solving

·         Natural leader

·         Details oriented

·         Creative

·         Tech Savy

3.     What motivates you.

Identify what makes you excited to wake up in the morning and keeps you going all day:

·         Making a positive impact on others

·         Challenging yourself

·         Overcoming obstacles

·         Continuous learning

·         Contribution to a larger missions and causes

 

4.       Am I happy to be at my current job.

Consider what you like about your job:

·         The pay wage

·          The people I work with

·         The people I work for

·         The work environment

·         The opportunity for growth and learning

·         The work environment and culture

5.     Determine your new focus.

Find out everything you can about your new focus and get on it. Conduct research. Identify how long it will take you to familiarize yourself with it?

6.     Make connections.

Participate in seminars or workshops. Top of Form

Do internship or volunteer work.

7.     Do a reality check.

Analyze all the steps involved and make sure that you are ready for this new venture. Who will help you travel in this new direction? Have a system ready, friends, family, people who will support you with no judgment.

8.     Develop an action plan.

After you determine what you want to do, ask yourself what you should do to get started. Will you go back to school? Prepare yourself and be ready to put time and work toward whatever you choose to do. Anything valuable takes time.

 

How To Change Careers, According To 50 People Who Made A Pivot (forbes.com)

 

 5 Tips for Changing Careers | Harvard Extension School

By: Rose-May John (Career Peer)