The Problem With Overcoming Imposter?Syndrome

Everyone has that one moment. Your first job. Your first successful meeting. Your first conference panel. First best-seller. An indelible feeling of accomplishment. You’re on top of the world.?

Then — without warning — you get crushed by a bizarre feeling.?

You start asking yourself questions.

What if it was just beginner’s luck? What I’m one mistake away from losing everything? How easy was this if even I could accomplish it? How many people have already done this to merit it being an accomplishment?

While not all those questions are valid concerns for successful people, many people do indeed have an added apprehension correlated with success. Imposter Syndrome — a tendency to discount the value of an accomplishment due to a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud" - exists amongst the most successful figures of the past century.

Maya Angelou once said:

“I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’

If you feel inadequate, you’re one of millions who feel the same way. In fact, the more knowledge you have and the more accolades you get, the more likely you are to find yourself in a foreign environment with an even higher tendency to wing it.?

The problem, however, isn't the fact that most of us have dealt with imposter syndrome in our lives.

It’s not the fact that it’s inevitable.?

It’s the fact that people are obsessed with this concept of trying to “overcome” imposter syndrome.

Life coaches and career experts are jumping all over the internet writing lavish think pieces on the best way to kill imposter syndrome, as if overcoming imposter syndrome is a proverbial wall you jump over, a boss you defeat in a video game, or a tangible goal you meet.?

Running a five-minute mile is easy to measure — as soon as you hit 4:59, you’re done.

Winning a game of Pokemon is easy to measure - as soon as you beat the Elite Four, you're a Pokemon champion.

But what about Imposter Syndrome? How do we “overcome” it to the point where it disappears? More importantly, how do the successful people who struggle with imposter syndrome still manage to stay successful?

I believe that what separates successful people vs. individuals who suffocate under imposter syndrome isn’t necessarily whether they feel it (I presume everyone does) or whether they eventually overcome it (I doubt anyone does) but whether they can simply distract themselves enough from it to move forward.?

The trick with imposter syndrome is that the minute you become confident and objectively accomplished enough to prove to yourself that you can do no wrong, it doesn’t go away.

Your challenge simply changes.

It's hard to imagine someone like Michael Jordan, one of the most accomplished players in basketball history, ever feeling like a fraud. He was on top of the world at UNC and even came in strong during his first year in the league.

Interestingly enough, Michael Jordan played his first All-Star game in February 1985 - an underwhelming performance where he went 2 for 9 and got repeatedly burned by George Gervin. He was interviewed after the game, stating:

“I just couldn’t calm myself down. Most of the time when you’re nervous, you get over it after one or two times up and down the court. But being introduced before the game — hearing them call out my name as a starter — that was the highlight of my career. I was out there with so many great players that it was a nervous experience for me. I couldn’t get relaxed until the second half. I guess it shows I’m human. I’m nervous in situations. I’m not going to be great every time I step on to the court.”

One of the greatest players of all-time admitting that even after he conquered the college stage and had one of the most impressive starts for a rookie in league history, he was still nervous. Before Jordan left the arena, he mentioned: “I expect to be in many more all-star games. Next time I won’t be nervous at all.”

Like many others, Jordan suffered from imposter syndrome. Like many others, Jordan simply used his debilitating nerves as a motivator — a fuel for future improvement.

Instead of trying to overcome Imposter Syndrome, rejoice in suffering from it. Use it as a motivator. Not only will it drive you to improve yourself, it will send a red flag to your brain that you’re being sufficiently challenged. I would argue that Imposter Syndrome, although marketed as some sort of disease, is rather healthy. Sensing this feeling of being an imposter tells you that you have a long way to go. The prize is simply being an imposter once again.?

Instead of a line like this where your imposter syndrome gets less intense the more you exercise mind tricks and confidence, as career experts claim:

Imagine a line like this. A never-ending string of imposter syndromes that allow you to get slightly less nervous until the point where you face your next challenge.

It happens to Michael Jordan, Maya Angelou, and likely even your own boss.

So continue to do things that scare the shit out of you, anticipate this feeling of self-doubt, and wear your imposter syndrome like a cloak of honor — more than likely, you won’t need to throw the cloak away anytime soon.

Kushaan is an IBM Consultant based out of Washington D.C. His interests are rooted in strategy consulting, entrepreneurship, social media, and the intersection of technology with social impact. He enjoys blogging about life, career insights, social technology, and hacking the corporate environment. If you liked this post, follow him on twitter:?@kushaanshah?or click "Follow" at the top for more posts on Linkedin.