Room
Room E1 - Track 4: Mental Health Track
Audience
Anyone interested in or needing to deal with impostor syndrome
Key-Learnings
- Formal education does not make you good at your job
- Learn to distinguish your fears from impostor syndrome
- You see all of your own flaws, no-one else does!
- Most people wing it
- You are allowed to make mistakes, and still be intelligent
Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong? Have you been afraid someone might unmask you? Do you diminish compliments others give you because you didn’t really try it that hard but you managed somehow? Well, I did! After I quit studying and ended up without a diploma, I found myself doubting my abilities, working next to people with a normal education, like having a university degree.
I felt like I had to prove myself and out perform them, to prove I was good enough. I was afraid they could catch me. Impostor syndrome is feeling like an impostor, doubting your skill, talent or proven accomplishments. Even if it is proven, it might feel as if you were lucky, or as if this was so easy that anyone could have done it. Maybe you feel like you’re pretending to be intelligent and feeling successful, but you’re convinced you really aren’t, it’s just luck.
I currently am contracted at a bank and work on a global project as a testmanager in a technically and politically challenging field, and I’m kicking ass!
But wait..what about my impostor syndrome? I have had to set aside my doubts in my abilities, by following a couple of guidelines (and getting a good psychologist!). I have managed to turn my impostor syndrome around, to it being my personal incentive to do better, not perfect. I’d like to share with you my story and my lessons learned that got me to the place I am today.