Dealing with the imposter syndrome

You might wonder what the imposter syndrome has to do with online marketing. Whether you've been working in the digital marketing world for a while or you're just coming around the corner, it won’t be a surprise to you that the online marketing world is extremely competitive. This competitiveness can easily fuel the imposter syndrome feeling inside us and can lead to the feeling that we're on our own, against the rest of the (marketing) world. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is often considered a heavy subject and seen as taboo. We decided to remove the taboo here and make imposter syndrome discussable to avoid it happening to other great marketers in the future!

Do you know the imposter syndrome?

First, it is useful to know what imposter syndrome -or the imposter phenomenon- is exactly. The definition comes down to inner self-doubt and being convinced that you do not belong in the role you have been assigned to. You really feel like a kind of "imposter," so to speak. You can even believe in it so much that you are afraid that colleagues will find out that you are 'scamming' them. Recognise this by symptoms such as:

• After receiving positive feedback you can only think that you get that feedback because the other person is being 'nice'.
• You dissociate performance from capabilities and you start to believe that your performance is based on luck.

The consequences of this, depending on how serious the matter is, can lead to you withdrawing yourself due to insecurity, embarrassment, or hesitation to continue your career path. This can take the form of not applying for promotions, not starting projects, and endless adjusting and checking for mistakes. The shame surrounding this issue can lead to isolation, which causes hindrances within projects. Refusing to talk about it due to the isolation can make it even worse and can cause you to fall into a downward spiral.

How do you deal with the imposter syndrome?

Everyone will have or have had such thoughts to a greater or lesser degree. We would like to give you a few things that you can focus on when you feel such thoughts bubbling up.

Do: Keep track of your goals

Set long-term and short-term goals for yourself. A long-term goal can sometimes feel too far away from you, and short-term goals too small or purposeless. A good combination of the two, especially if you base the short-term goals on how you're going to achieve the long-term goals, makes it easier to see your successes. The moment you start to feel like you're fooling others and are a "con artist," you can prove to yourself that you're not by re-reading those goals.

Don’t: Go without a defined plan

Fully work out the steps you need to take in a process (think of all the steps you need to make to put a SEA campaign live, for example). Use a template or roadmap. This way you don't have to doubt anymore if you've done everything you were supposed to do. If your imposter syndrome kicks in, you'll know for sure what the next step is and execute it with more certainty.

Do: Rationalize your success

After finishing a certain task, go over all the obstacles that could have held you back, but that you eventually stepped over. To visualize these steps, write them down or even draw them. You are good enough, or you wouldn't be where you are.

Do: Boost that confidence!

Sometimes we need it for a moment: someone to say you're doing good. Yes, even we as individuals love social proof. It's not very realistic to have a personal cheerleader around you to call upon when you need it. So we suggest creating a folder with proof that you are good at what you do. The feedback that helped you, compliments from someone you look up to, or positive comments. Do make sure they are legitimate boosts.

Don’t: Deal with pointless criticism

Ignore criticism that is not based on anything because you can't learn anything from it! If you're not sure if it actually has a reason, don't be afraid to ask "Can you substantiate that?" They can’t? Let it slide!

Do: Let fear get you down!

Embracing the imposter syndrome may sound a bit contradictory but fear can be one of the biggest drivers out there. The fear of not being good enough sometimes causes you to bring out the best in yourself. Instead of letting the fear hold you back, it can make you take action. Imposter syndrome, in other words, means you are achieving things and are better than you think. And as long as the feeling remains, you'll stand the test of time.

Let us connect through the collective insecurity about our work and break the taboo!