Dear Chren,
I have a problem with imposter syndrome. I have accomplished a lot, but cannot get over the fact that it might not be mine. What advice would you give to someone like me who has done a lot but cannot fully overcome my imposter syndrome? I really appreciate your help and advice!
– Mr. Imposter Syndrome
Dear Mr. Imposter Syndrome,
First of all, you’re not alone. In fact, many high achievers struggle with imposter syndrome because they doubt their abilities. Take comfort in the fact that people who are handed everything tend to have a different outlook on life. They act overly entitled and expect special treatment.
Imposter syndrome might be a symptom of a diseases for people. If growing up you didn’t have a strong support system, that can carry over into adulthood. The best thing you can do for yourself is to have people in your life who make you feel like the best version of yourself. There’s no need to keep toxic people around.
The next thing you should do is own these feelings. Whether you speak with a professional, a friend or start journaling, don’t keep anything bottled up. Try to understand why you feel a certain way and try to sperate your feelings with facts about your accomplishments.
Which bring us to our next piece of advice: don’t minimize your accomplishments. Celebrate each success, no matter how small, because you’re feeling yourself that you’re on the path to achieving your goals. Even if it’s something small like getting an ice cream or a coffee, make sure you treat yourself!
Lastly, social media can be a reason you feel this way. It’s easier than ever to compare yourself to others because we’re interconnected in every aspect of our lives. Whether it’s finding out about someone’s promotion on LinkedIn or seeing someone having an adventure on Instagram, it can make everyone feel they’re not enough. The best way to handle this is to limit screen time. Also, remember that people show their best selves online and don’t always post about the difficult day or feeling stuck in life. Everyone sometimes thinks the grass is always greener when they’re online.
You sound like someone who has accomplished a lot, but is never satisfied and always wants more. There’s nothing wrong with ambition. Realize that you have worked hard to get where you are and that you have a path to achieve your goals. We hope our advice is helpful and best of luck on your future endeavors!
According to Chren 
This is really great advice. Social media makes jealousy very hard.
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It really does when most people just post about the best parts of their lives.
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This is incredible advice, and we will definitely note this! Thank you for sharing this! We know people in our lives who very much struggle with imposter syndrome.
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It’s more common than people realize and it’s something so important to address.
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Such a good topic and one that affects so many people. I remember reading once Oprah said she gets imposter syndrome and I couldn’ t believe it. It just shows you that it’s still possible to be successful if we learn to manage it even if that little voice in our head is always present so we can still achieve what we want. Thanks for this post!
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Thanks for reading! We completely agree. Just because someone is successful, don’t mean they don’t have doubts.
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Great post. Imposter syndrome is so horrible. I’ve struggled with it all my life and the only world doesn’t make it any easier.
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Thank you! Online makes it much more difficult because we only see a small piece of someone’s life.
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Great advice Chren! I agree that sociall media can make the best of us feel inferior. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you!
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Wonderful response, celebrating our wins no matter how small is so important!
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It really is because it’s important to take a step back and be proud of yourself!
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Great post! The advice was helpful.
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Thanks for reading!
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This is so key! Especially as creatives we tend to compare our work with others but it might help us to separate our worth from the work we create. While it is important to self reflect we should also realize that we are all learning as we go, no one has it all figure out. We’re all gonna be alright, wrote about something similar for post grads here: https://musingswithmo.wordpress.com/2019/09/06/overcoming-the-post-graduate-blues/
Let me know what you think 😊
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We agree and it can definitely be even harder for creatives. We’ll check out your post!
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I totally agree we all need to celebrate the small wins! Sometimes the bigger goal takes time to get to- and social media can be meh at times best to limit it I try to to get overwhelmed by it!
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Thanks for reading!
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This is so true. I suffer from imposter syndrome sometimes but it’s usually when I am unfamiliar with a new job or people. I have learned to tell myself it’s okay if I make a mistake and look silly at first but once I know something new I can overcome it.
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I definitely feel like this sometimes. This post has some really helpful advice. Thank you for sharing your suggestions.
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