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A 20-minute talk on overcoming impostor syndrome -- the persistent feeling that you're not qualified to be doing whatever you're doing, and everyone's going to find out you're a fake any minute now.
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OvercomingImpostor Syndrome
Denise PaolucciDreamwidth Studios
denise@dreamwidth.org
Impostor Syndrome “...a psychological phenomenon in which
people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of
their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they
are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome
Impostor Syndrome
OH CRAPTHEY’RE GOING TO FIGURE
OUT I HAVE ABSOLUTELYNO IDEA
WHAT I’M DOING.
Sometimes, your brain is a jerk.
A really big jerk.
CC:BY http://www.flickr.com/photos/katjato/4934944998
“You and John and Jane are all so good at what
you do!”
Thanks! I really enjoy working with them.
They’re good at this.I’m just good at
pretending.
“I always look up to you as a role model!”
Thanks! I’m really glad I can help inspire you.
You wouldn’t if you knew how bad at this I
really am.
“You’re always so good at solving problems for
others!”
Thanks! We all help each other out
whenever we can.
Except for that one mistake. And the other one. And that really
huge one. And the time I broke everything and everybody had to clean up my mistakes and then I
spent a week hiding because I felt guilty and was sure that
everybody was going to blame me for wasting all their time and I
(breathe.)
Why Impostor Syndrome Sucks :(
• Impossible to take pride in your work.
Why Impostor Syndrome Sucks :(
• Impossible to take pride in your work.
• Impossible to admit you don’t know something.
Why Impostor Syndrome Sucks :(
• Impossible to take pride in your work.
• Impossible to admit you don’t know something.
• Prevents others from having perspective too.
Why Impostor Syndrome Sucks :(
• Impossible to take pride in your work.
• Impossible to admit you don’t know something.
• Prevents others from having perspective too.
• It makes you feel like crap :(
Why Impostor Syndrome Sucks :(
Let’s talk about ways to address the problem.
1.Talk about the issue.
2.Watch your language: some ideas are self-
reinforcing.
Such as...
• “Just”, “Only”, and other minimizers
Such as...
• “Just”, “Only”, and other minimizers
• “I think”, “I don’t know if”, and other qualifiers
Such as...
• “Just”, “Only”, and other minimizers
• “I think”, “I don’t know if”, and other qualifiers
• “I’m not a REAL X, but –”
Such as...
• “Just”, “Only”, and other minimizers
• “I think”, “I don’t know if”, and other qualifiers
• “I’m not a REAL X, but –”
• “Should”
Such as...
(these are really hard)
CC-BY-NC-SA http://www.flickr.com/photos/starfive/6729394929
3.Teach what you know.(Even if you think you
don’t know it.)
4.Question corrections.
Sometimes they’re right!
Sometimes...
(That’s Mike Holmes. He never worries if he’s qualified.)
5.Ask questions.
6.Ask for perspective
checks from a friend.
7.List your
accomplishments.(Own them.)
8.Practice accepting
compliments.
9. Get more background information
for comparisons
10. Remember that you are awesome. Really. I promise. (And others
feel this way, too.)
Thank you!
Denise PaolucciDreamwidth Studios
denise@dreamwidth.org
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