Have you ever seen an owl’s legs? They’re wild. Who knew that under all those feathers would be such skinny little things??
One thing’s for certain, owls are not bothered by the shape of their legs. No owl has ever declined a good night of mousing because they’re worried what the others might say. It’s almost 100% certain that owls do not have Imposter Syndrome (although, if you’re an avian psychologist and know better, please let me know!)
Imposter Syndrome however, in humans, is a super common phenomena. It can hold you back from going after the things you would like for yourself, because you’re worried that people will call you out as a fraud.
According to Valerie Young in her Ted Talk on Thinking Your Way Out Of Imposter Syndrome Thinking your way out of imposter syndrome | Valerie Young – YouTube, there are 5 types.
Wanna know what they are?
1) The EXPERT – Being called an ‘expert’ feels like a big pressure to live up to – you feel like a fraud, or a sense of shame, if you don’t have all the answers.
So, you take lots of courses, read more books and hold yourself back because you don’t feel ‘qualified’ enough.
2) The SUPERHUMAN – To stave off feelings of being a fraud you set out to overachieve – pushing yourself harder and harder in the process.
With workaholic tendencies it’s not unusual for you to describe yourself in terms of your work persona.
You may find it hard to switch off or relax when not at work.
3) The PERFECTIONIST – You have extraordinarily high standards for yourself, and often for those around you, and if it’s not 10 out of 10 good then it’s rubbish.
You over plan and over prepare as the thought of making a mistake is horrifying. It’s not unusual for you to beat yourself up over a tiny thing that no one else would notice.
4) The SOLOIST – Asking for help is incredibly hard, as is trusting others to do as good a job as you can do yourself.
You tend to over burden yourself with tasks rather than delegate and face looking like you are incompetent.
Hours can be used up researching a task rather than asking for help and sharing the credit.
5) The NATURAL GENIUS – If you don’t know everything you get frustrated, and picking up new skills at a less than rapid pace drives you crazy.
Because your self worth relies on you ‘having it all together’, you may avoid people or situations until you have all the knowledge you need.
It’s bound up with a whole world of self worth. We think others will see us as a fraud because WE see ourselves internally as a fraud.
A great tip is to watch out for how you talk about yourself both to others and to yourself (y’know that constant internal chunter that you have going on in the background!)
Once you recognise which of the 5 types of Impostering you slip into – or which combination of the five, then you can start to take action. If you would like help doing this why not book in for a session with me? A ‘Excuse me, I’m waiting for my Epiphany’ session can be a great place to start and I have great tools to help you turn it around and start seeing yourself for the brilliant being you truly are.
Big love,
Carrie