Overcoming Imposter Syndrome is an Important Step in Healing Depression

Many successful people worry they don’t truly deserve what they have accomplished. They worry they aren’t genuinely capable, and sooner or later, people will realize that they have been “faking it” all along.

This phenomenon is known as “imposter syndrome.” Basically, someone who is dealing with this mindset fears that they are an imposter in spaces where they don’t belong, like a workplace environment.

It can even contribute to serious mental health conditions like depression. If you feel you're always behind, you might struggle with low moods and a lack of self-confidence.

Imposter syndrome is not grounded in reality. Lots of people who feel this way actually have impressive track records in their respective fields. But if you’re living with imposter syndrome, how can you begin to separate fact from fiction and focus on your own strengths rather than searching for weaknesses?

Here are a few tips to help you overcome imposter syndrome.

Seek Evidence

First, it’s important to examine your beliefs about yourself, particularly regarding your professional successes. Reflect on your accomplishments and progress so far, and think about what you’ve learned over the past few years.

What skills have you mastered that you didn’t understand last year? Have you taken on more challenging projects that would have been out of your comfort zone when you started working? Give yourself credit where credit is due!

Celebrate Your Wins

Going forward, it never hurts to celebrate your own wins, even if you’re just celebrating something small. For instance, maybe you got a compliment from your supervisor, or perhaps your coworker thanked you for helping them out with a difficult project. Or perhaps you got positive feedback from a client.

“Wins” don’t just apply to major awards or promotions—any time you’ve done something that illustrates your contribution to your team, you deserve to pat yourself on the back!

Adjust Your Perspective on Failure

What if you’ve suffered a setback recently? This doesn’t mean that you’re an “imposter”. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. To avoid falling back into the mindset of imposter syndrome when you fail at something, you’ll need to adopt a new perspective when it comes to failure.

For instance, you can begin thinking of failure as a learning opportunity. When you mess up, consider what the experience can teach you. Viewing mistakes as chances to learn from experience can help you move forward with confidence.

You’ll be surprised by how much progress you make when you start embracing mistakes rather than fearing them.

Avoid Ruminating

Sometimes, the feeling that you’re an “imposter” crops up because you hyper-focus on your shortcomings. Maybe there are times when you spend hours replaying a particular mistake over and over in your head.

Or maybe you tend to ruminate on conversations you had in the workplace, worrying whether or not you said something wrong. But rumination fuels imposter syndrome.

The next time you catch yourself ruminating, aim to shift your focus to a high point of your day or another task.

Don’t Dwell on Comparisons

Comparing yourself to others can make you feel you’re not enough. When you’ve got your eye on someone else’s accomplishments, you might feel more insecure.

Avoiding comparisons is a key aspect of overcoming imposter syndrome. Remember that you never know what’s going on behind the scenes in someone else’s life, and focusing on making the best of your own circumstances is a far healthier approach.

Sometimes, a friend or coworker will accomplish a goal that you had in mind for yourself, and instead of looking to them with envy, ask for their advice and guidance! Other people want to see you succeed.

—

Are you struggling with imposter syndrome in your professional or personal life? Therapy can help. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.

Click here to learn more about counseling when you’re feeling unfulfilled.