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26 | M R EP O RT EXPERT INSIGHTS " T he only way to stop feeling like an impos- tor is to stop thinking like an impostor." 1 — Valerie Young, Ed.D., Author and Internationally-Recognized Expert on Imposter Syndrome An estimated 70% of people ex- perience impostor feelings at some point in their lives. 2 When this term was coined, it was believed to only affect professional women, however, it has since been found to affect both men and women. 3 Interestingly though, women have been found to be more susceptible to it, as women tend to give in to their self-doubt more. What is Impostor Syndrome? T he term "impostor phenom- enon" was developed in 1978 by Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, two American psycholo- gists. 4 It is recognized by experts in the field that, "individuals with impostor phenomenon experi- ence intense feelings that their achievements are undeserved and worry that they are likely to be exposed as a fraud." 5 For a more narrow definition, it has also been described as "an internal experi- ence of intellectual phoniness who are highly successful but unable to internalize their success." 6 The impostor cycle is illustrated on the following page. 7 Impacts of Impostor Syndrome I mpostor Syndrome causes self- doubt, which manifest feelings such as the below: "You don't know what you're doing." "Any moment someone will call you out." "What made you think you could even attempt this?" These thoughts lead to feelings that cause the individual to believe he or she is unable to accomplish specific goals. One study found that 60% of women who were considering starting a business did not because of "lack of confidence in their knowledge, skills, and abilities." 8 Additionally, these self- doubting thoughts have also been attributed as a factor for why some women may even be less success- ful in their careers. Examples of keyways to identify whether you are experiencing impostor syndrome: 9 1. You are feeling like a fraud. Even though you have made it, and received the recognition for a job well done, you feel like it is just smoke and mirrors. 2. You devalue your worth. Not real- izing that you are worth more than you think. 3. You undermine your experience or expertise. Questioning your qualifications, knowledge, and experience and not embrac- ing the talents that have been developed. The good news is that once these feelings of impostor syndrome Silencing Self-doubt How to overcome impostor syndrome. By Marissa M. Yaker, Esq.