Do you ever doubt your skills and talents at work? Does this doubt ever make you feel like a fraud? This is called imposter syndrome, and it’s more common than you think.
I had some dental work done today, and the dentist told me about how she had to reach out to a colleague to discuss a client’s case. I thought, “wow, this dentist cared enough to reach out to a colleague and get someone else’s opinion on the case.” This thought sparked the idea for this entire blog post.
Negative vs. positive thoughts
If I were the one reaching out to a colleague, I would have felt that imposter syndrome. I would have felt that sinking feeling of incompetence and lack of knowledge in my field. This is a negative thought and one a lot of us need to challenge. The thought I had today when my dentist was talking was a positive thought.
Not knowing doesn’t make you an imposter
Every time I have a case consultation, I bring up cases because I care and want to know how to best help my clients. It is standard practice to have case consultations in numerous fields, and completely normal to ask questions, learn new things, and not know everything. Not knowing doesn’t make someone incompetent. Pretending to know does.
Challenge your negative thoughts
It’s okay not to know. If you experience imposter syndrome, notice your negative thoughts and try to challenge them. What are your thoughts when a colleague asks a question or asks for advice about something they don’t know a lot about? I bet you are a lot kinder to them than you are to yourself. Talk to yourself as if you were talking to your colleague the next time you are experiencing imposter syndrome. Notice how you feel. Click here to read more about how to challenge negative thoughts.
Conclusion
Imposter syndrome can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression. If this resonates with you, take the time to acknowledge how you feel about your work, notice your negative thoughts, and work on challenging them. You got this.