4. Defeating Imposter Syndrome & Its 5 Manifestations
Imposter syndrome= the feeling that you are not good enough or not suited for what you are doing; despite your accomplishments you have feelings like you are a fraud
· It takes various forms depending on how the person is wired.
· It is rooted in your soulish realm
· It is designed to shake your confidence to stop you from continuing on and/or not move forward
· Social media can inadvertently validate these untruths
· 70% of people suffer from Imposter Syndrome at some point in their work lives
Different forms/ways Imposter Syndrome Manifests (based on research by Dr. Valerie Young)
Perfectionism
· As Kingdom entrepreneurs, we strive for excellence. Excellence is NOT perfection. We discussed this during the “Making God Your CEO Challenge”.
· Perfectionists can set high goals for themselves and when do not meet them they open themselves to self-doubt, worry & fear
· Also struggle with control…. “no one can do it better than them”
Overcome by
· Forgiving yourself
· Understand you will make mistakes & is part of the process
· Do it afraid, before you feel you are ready
· There is never a perfect time
Superman/woman
· You push yourself harder to be recognized & to “measure up” --- cover up for your insecurities
· Workaholic
· Your overwork often puts a strain on your relationships & health
“Imposter workaholics are addicted to the validation that comes from working, not to the work itself.”
· No one should have the power to determine how you feel about yourself, but God.
· Must seek internal validation & inner confidence through knowing who you are in Christ & what you are called to do
The Natural Genius
· People who believe that if they are not naturally good at something then there is something wrong with them. (i.e. If they take longer to master something, they feel shame)
Overcome by:
· Seeing yourself as a work in progress
· Forgiving yourself
· Identify specific behaviors you can grow in overtime & become a lifelong learner
The Soloist
· Believe if asking for help demonstrates their inabilities
· Refuse assistance to prove their worth
· Statements made by these people…. (see article)
The Expert
· Their confidence is measured by what & how much they know or can do
· They believe that they can never know enough & they are afraid that others will see them as inexperienced or unknowledgeable
· Statement made by these people… (see article)
· This is actually a form of procrastination when you have to get more & more knowledge/information before you can act
· There is no shame to ask for help
Overcome by:
· Trusting God & being led in your learning
Next week: Will deal with the spiritual side of this (Fear, Shame, Pride, Unworthiness, Wounds…)
Reference: https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-one