“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.” – Bertrand Russell (philosopher)
You’ve triumphed over GCSEs and you’ve blazed through the hell that was A-levels. You even made to uni – the final frontier. It’s all been building to this but what now? You never stopped to consider it. After thinking of little other than reaching this destination, you find that the journey is not over. Now, you have to be a good student (or at least good enough to get through your degree). The admissions tutors seemed to think you were up to this challenge but maybe they were wrong. Was there some kind of mistake? Were you just accepted here out of pity or luck? What if you aren’t as cut out for this as they thought you would be? You’ve bamboozled your way in, but they’ll catch you sooner or later. It’s only a matter of time,right? This train of thought may appear irrational and paranoid but if any of this sounds at all familiar, you may be dealing with ‘Impostor Syndrome’.
“There’s no easy way to dismiss the feeling that we’re less capable than the people around us” – Elizabeth Cox (Ted-Ed educator)
Impostor Syndrome is the mentality that your successes are not down to your own ability or skills but are down to luck or some other external factor. This is a problem that affects many students across gender, race and all years of study and even the broader population, with an estimated 70% of people thought to believe that they do not deserve their current position in life. The danger is that by thinking of yourself as insufficient, you cap your own potential and may be limiting your performance as a student and more importantly, your own well-being.
I’m sure we can all (or have at some point been able to) relate to feeling like we don’t meet some standard that we’ve set in our own minds. Even the most celebrated figures fall victim to this irrational self-scrutiny. Albert Einstein dubbed himself an “involuntary swindler”, who did not deserve the acclaim that his work had received. Lupita Nyong’o also confessed to falling deeper into Impostor Syndrome after winning her first Oscar. With achievements so rare, exceptional people can still be susceptible to this negative way of thinking and this is a testament to just how powerful and common it can be. Impostor Syndrome is truly insatiable and can remain regardless of the level of the accomplishments we attain.
Whilst falling short of our own perceptions of where we should be is one cause of Impostor Syndrome, feeling that we fall short of the standard we perceive to have been set by those around us is another cause. This is only made worse in scenarios such as seminars or labs - being in a room full of coursemates or peers who are at the same stage as you yet seem so more confident or skilled, as though they know what they are doing when you’re just doing your best to keep up. These situations may cause you to wonder whether they are especially skilled, or you are just that insufficient. By extension, you may question whether you deserve to have the same place that they earned.
“Start believing that your perceived flaws are just that – perception” –Malebo Sephodi (writer)
Whilst our doubts and anxieties may be apart of our nature and thus impossible to eliminate entirely, imposter syndrome is a demon that can be slain with the right strategy. It is helpful to be aware that this unhealthy thinking is much more common than you may realise and so talking to others about their own experiences with Impostor Syndrome may help to reduce the burden. Surrounding yourself with people who emit any positive energy may also help to shift your negative perceptions of yourself. The most effective response is to identify the triggers that cause any unhealthy thinking in order to fight the problem at the source.
Regarding comparison of yourself to others, it is best to resist the temptation to turn our own minds into an arena for competition between ourselves and our peers. As hard as this sounds, when we compare ourselves to others, we tend to do so almost exclusively by comparing the greatest flaws of ourselves with the greatest strengths of others. This is a battle that we cannot win. By acknowledging this and keeping our eyes on our own lane, we can confront our weaknesses in a more healthy and reflective way and work to improve or face any irrational insecurities and identify where they are coming from. Either way, evading this trap may be the key to focusing on ourselves and our own growth.
Although, perhaps the greater challenge lies within ourselves. Insecurities are not always down to our perceptions of others but may be solely due to unhealthy thoughts about ourselves. Putting yourself down or even just downplaying your abilities and achievements in the name of humility or to prevent disappointment is an easy and dangerous habit to fall into. It is far more valuable habit to learn to recognise your successes and celebrate yourself although this is a surprisingly difficult skill for some of us to learn. Realise that you’ve made it this far and that you can make it even further still. It is also important to take the time to acknowledge all of your victories; even the tiny ones. Tearing yourself out of bed and making it to that 9:00 am lecture for that module that you hate? A victory. Finally finishing and submitting that assignment when last week, you had no idea how you’d ever even start it? A victory. Working to the best of your ability and making the most of the opportunity that you earned? A massive yet attainable victory. Know that you have the power to be your own worst enemy or your own greatest supporter and know that you are good enough.
