Feel like a fraud? Yup, it's still the good ol' imposter syndrome
Tips on how to live with imposter from Julie Zhuo, Elizabeth Cox and the American Psychological Association
Hey there,
When was the last time you received positive feedback from someone and you thought “Ah, yeah, they’re just saying it because they have to, they’re trying to be nice, it’s not true anyways”. Or you received a recognition and your inner voice told you “It’s because of this and that reason that they chose me, not because I actually deserve it”. You probably know what I am hinting at: Imposter Syndrome. I know we’ve been talking about it for a few years, but its still a major challenge for many and I thought its worth dedicating this edition of the weekly briefing to additional resources to support you, in case you or someone on your team are dealing with it too.
How to deal with imposter syndrome
🎥 What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it? by Elizabeth Cox
Top Takeaways: This video summarises what Imposter Syndrome is, who is at risk of experiencing it and which consequences it has on career choices people make. It goes into a few of the psychological workings of it (e.g. how pluralistic ignorance contributes to it).
🎥 Overcome imposter syndrome and accelerate your career by Julie Zhuo (Sundial, Facebook) on Lenny’s podcast
Top Takeaways: Julie started out as a designer at Facebook, then was promoted to a manager and then became VP of design - she reports feeling like an imposter for the first 7-8 years 😱 her advice is to get comfortable with the discomfort by being curious and being aware that you’re most probable growing when you’re experiencing imposter.
📚 Feel like a fraud? Cover story by American Psychological Association
Top Takeaways: Lots of scientifically based insights backed into this one, but told as a story of a PhD student. The advice that psychologists give when feeling like an imposter is to gain outside perspective: talk to mentors that are supportive and encouraging; mentor others to realise your expertise, start getting feedback on your work earlier to experience what it means to “not be perfect all the time”. Overall a really helpful read.
Have a great start to your week!
Darja
PS: Download the AI coach to get 1% better in just 2 min a day - we just released a massive update, check it out if you haven’t yet! 👇
