While I would wager most of us are familiar with the term imposter, I’m not exactly sure how many of us can say we have heard of, or, furthermore, know a thing or two about Imposter Syndrome.
Like the name of the condition itself suggests, Imposter Syndrome involves being under the impression that any success or achievements we accomplish are not deserved, and we therefore feel like an imposter in our wins.
For anyone who has zero experience with this syndrome, it probably sounds a bit stupid, without meaning to sound harsh. From an outside perspective, suggesting to someone that they should not feel deserving of their own achieved success seems outright wrong, and, in essence, it is. But, for anyone who has experienced this syndrome, it isn’t so easy to simply shed the notion of feeling like a pretender, doing a 180, and all of a sudden being entirely receptive of praise and achievement.
I suppose an easier way of describing Imposter Syndrome is essentially equating it with low confidence and self-esteem. Personally, I do think I have a bit of Imposter Syndrome when it comes to rugby; I’m working on building my confidence, but I absolutely doubt myself on the pitch when it comes to my skills and abilities, even though I realize I am, in fact, capable of doing these things my brain tries to convince me I can’t. Even when I do something awesome and receive praise, I convince myself it was a fluke, or that I’m not deserving of recognition when I do something great in a game or practice.
I do think this syndrome is more popular than most of us realize, and that perhaps a lack of education towards it is a result of individuals shying away from admitting they suffer from it, in which case, I don’t blame them. But, advocacy is one of the first steps in getting something out on the map, so it’s important to talk about it with people you’re comfortable with.
Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash
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