<h2 id="763442e4-6fdb-425d-8afc-9fe2bfcdd346" data-toc-id="763442e4-6fdb-425d-8afc-9fe2bfcdd346">There are times when we really can’t trust our brains.</h2><h3 id="4e9ea8f7-d553-46fb-a7ef-f8a58471d1b1" data-toc-id="4e9ea8f7-d553-46fb-a7ef-f8a58471d1b1">We become horrifyingly enthralled by that inner voice:</h3><ul><li>“Do I actually know this, or am I just winging it?”</li><li>“They’ve asked me to do this because they’re desperate – surely that’s it.”</li><li>“They’ve offered me this promotion, but it must be a mistake.”“Please don’t ask me — I’ve no idea what I’m talking about!”</li></ul>That voice sounds like you, but it isn’t. And it’s not the voice of reason, either. It’s Imposter Syndrome, squatting in your psyche like it owns the place.And there’s no shortage of these uninvited guests. Most people experience this destructive intruder at least once in a career — and many unknowingly give it free rent for years. Worst of all? It brings its own megaphone every time.<h3 id="7b729176-b918-42ba-8975-ada692e0be1d" data-toc-id="7b729176-b918-42ba-8975-ada692e0be1d">Name and shame</h3>If we’re going to put the Imposter Syndrome on trial, we really need to know what it is. Firstly, it isn’t a diagnosis. Then it certainly isn’t a flaw I you. You don’t want to double&nbsp; up by tackling IS and blaming yourself for it being there in the first place.It feels unquestionably like the truth when you’re hearing it. Every time it tells you that your achievements don’t count, your luck will run out, and you don’t belong, it is very convincing. But it isn’t the truth – it speaks mere distortion.And that is because the Imposter Syndrome is an imposter itself – a fraudster just pretending to be helpful. It is nothing more than an evil imp, perched on your shoulder so that it can whisper rubbish into your ear.<h3 id="e8b9dc1e-2e38-47ab-b685-6f00d02ab0b3" data-toc-id="e8b9dc1e-2e38-47ab-b685-6f00d02ab0b3">When and why, oh why?</h3>The Imposter Syndrome does tend to strike us when we’re down. Anyone who has experienced something like anxiety or depression while soldiering on in the workplace will most likely have been given a particularly nasty version of this malevolent presence. The same can be true for those who are struck down with a physical complaint too – work is harder than it was in the past, so the voice is going to reinforce your own feelings of being somewhat lesser.However, that probably accounts for a fraction of all those with IS at any given time. We’re talking about:<ul><li>Normal brains under pressure – from work, from home, from family, from friends – from anywhere</li><li>Life transitions – parents returning to work after long breaks almost get issued with an imp as standard</li><li>Situations rife with cronyism where you feel very much on the outside (even if that’s where you want to be!)</li><li>Workplace cultures that encourage and reward overwork, and undermine confidence</li></ul>For so many, it merely shows up after a bump in the road – the imp is hitching a lift!<h3 id="ed9542c2-8562-4111-ac56-3d5209debbac" data-toc-id="ed9542c2-8562-4111-ac56-3d5209debbac">You get that feeling</h3>Seasoned Imposter Syndrome sufferers often come to recognise the signs. But even then, the patterns aren’t always straightforward.For some, it starts with silence — contributing less in meetings, no longer putting ideas forward. For others, it’s inertia — they stop applying for jobs because “there’s nothing that needs my skills.” Some roll over when unfair criticism lands, convinced they deserve it.Then there are the overworkers. Those who stay later, start earlier, push harder — but can’t rest. For others, the signals are more removed:<ul><li>Diets change (and not helpfully)</li><li>The booze aisle becomes more familiar</li><li>The gym becomes an obsession, not a release</li></ul>Whatever the signs, they all trace back to the prehistoric brain. Under pressure, we shrink into survival mode — our trusty amygdala dragging us into fight, flight, freeze or fawn.Look again at the examples above and you’ll spot each one.That imp on your shoulder doesn’t just talk nonsense — it triggers something. And your brain and body, ever loyal, leap to respond.<h3 id="fd047d69-fdab-4552-b99e-c552d4bbff1a" data-toc-id="fd047d69-fdab-4552-b99e-c552d4bbff1a">Who will rid me of this troublesome Imp?</h3>The most helpful thing we can do with anything like this is to name it. You’re not self-diagnosing — Imposter Syndrome isn’t a diagnosis. And you’re not being dramatic either. If the signs are there, it’s there.Once you’ve named it, the next step is to spot when it’s speaking. These thoughts often show up before your brain has time to catch them — but your body knows. If your defence system is firing up, you’ll feel it physically: the lurch in your stomach, the racing heart, the urge to shrink or please or bolt.Then comes kindness. Not the fluffy kind, but the practical, evidence-based kind. When the imp pipes up with “You’re not cut out for this,” go digging. Is it true? Or is it just loud?<h3 id="00bba79c-c9c7-4316-8d0c-dfdcd7fdd837" data-toc-id="00bba79c-c9c7-4316-8d0c-dfdcd7fdd837">We have two tools that can help:</h3><ul><li>Put Your Thoughts on Trial: examine the “charges” your inner critic is making</li><li>Be Your Best Friend: respond to yourself the way you’d respond to someone you actually like</li></ul>Both ask you to look for evidence. When I get a dose, I often think: “Do I actually know this, or am I plucking it from my behind?” Turns out it’s quite easy to gather the facts - especially if you write them down.Jen swears by keeping a journal during flare-ups. It becomes a case file of sanity, and once you’ve got the receipts, that imp starts packing its bags.<hr><h2 id="3d48e4a2-4187-4712-87a7-bae3aac83a54" data-toc-id="3d48e4a2-4187-4712-87a7-bae3aac83a54">Doesn’t everyone feel this way?</h2>Yes, most of us do - at least once in our careers. But that’s not a reason to put up with it.Part of the trick of Imposter Syndrome is how it convinces you that you're not special. That this is just “being realistic.” That asking for better is a bit much.But that’s not realism. That’s the imp, again - disguised as humility.Call it out. Dig into the details. And then send it packing.Just picture it: that dejected little imp, once so deafeningly loud, climbing off your shoulder and slinking into the distance. (Admittedly, it’ll probably get hired somewhere else - but that’s no reason to let it stay with you a moment longer.)Here in Britain, we’ve got a real thing about not getting too big for our boots. But here’s the truth: Imposter Syndrome isn’t humility. It’s a very loud fraudster.And you deserve better company in your head.&nbsp;

A short piece that outlines our attitude to The Imposter Syndrome. It is a hideous squatter that takes over our shoulders from time to time. It destroys our confidence, self-possession and comfort. However, using just a few tools systematically is what you need to send it packing. 

The Imposter Syndrome: Does anyone need this troublesome Imp?

This captures our attitude to The Imposter Syndrome. It is a hideous squatter that overtakes our shoulders from time to time, but using just a few tools systematically is what we need to banish it.

There are times when we really can’t trust our brains.

We become horrifyingly enthralled by that inner voice:

Learn why understanding your own psychology and that of those around you is the key to building skills that stick. 

Forget the hacks: learn to work smarter for good

Learn why understanding your own psychology and that of those around you is the key to gaining work-based skills that will grow with you.

The Imposter Syndrome: Does anyone need this troublesome Imp?

The Imposter Syndrome: Does anyone need this troublesome Imp?

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