“Hello, I’d like to report a fraud on my account”

Imposter syndrome, or imposter phenomenon as they refer to it in academic writing, is defined as persistent feelings of self-doubt. It shows up with the fear of fraud exposure and the inability to internalise accomplishment[i]. I disappeared off Instagram and blog writing for most of June as it showed up in full force looking for credentials, which I felt I didn’t have.

There are plenty of studies on imposter phenomenon. It is shown to be related to pessimism, perfectionist traits, and low self-esteem in studies on students [ii]. Paradoxically people with imposter syndrome can still actively pursue achievement. However, without the ability to accept recognition, they are more prone to increased stress levels, burnout, and decreased job performance and satisfaction over time[iii]. Then, on the flip side, those who are held back and avoidant through a fear of failure report less career planning and motivation to lead, potentially leading to career retention issues [iv].

What actually occurs in the body with all this fear floating around? Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol take off for some “not enough” chat between your synapses (learn more on how the brain communicates on my post here), which in turn affects the neurotransmitters serotonin for happiness levels, and dopamine for level of reward (learn more about neurotransmitters on my post here ). Testosterone levels can begin to lower, which is linked to increased risk aversion. Then dopamine gets back involved in increasing the avoidance mentality in relation to pain. To summarise, your body enters into fear mode with a concoction of chemicals and hormones to aid it along. No wonder we can end up in a loop of imposter and not-enoughness.

Fear of failure versus the Fear of success

Perfectionism is self-sabotage. This is one area I often end up in a loop. It can be quite annoying at times studying Psychology, there are a lot of “Oh crap, I do that” moments. Self-esteem has been shown across many studies to be tied to imposter syndrome. Where it dips low, there is higher vulnerability to imposter syndrome. However, for me, I have worked hard the past two years on my self-esteem and it has has increased, but my fears have adapted along with it.

They are evolutionary in nature I guess. Annoyingly clever Darwinian fears adapting for their new threat of survival. I spoke in “Fear and Career”, how I would sell myself short for an easy option rather than stepping up to fear and going for the career I wanted. Where now, I perhaps put myself out there, in an effort to try, but instead fear shows up in “we shouldn’t share that until it’s perfect”.

Your self-worth directly links to self-sabotage behaviours. We can set caps on ourselves that become our own limitations and in turn self-sabotage rather than showing up messily as the person you want to become. My Houdini act began after finishing up the latest “Integrate and Align” which is a six-week Women’s Circle I run, based around emotional blocks and regulation techniques. I am always happy to sit around for a chat afterwards, apart from the last day. As when the gratitude comes in, I can not run fast enough. Then my mind sets off looking for anything I said that was not perfect from the previous six weeks. A really kind technique it has. That fear of becoming who you want to be is equally as terrifying as the fear of failure. Perhaps it is just the fear of living that creates imposter syndrome. To embody fully who we are, the potential and the mess.

So rather than just showing up sometimes I let perfectionism run wild. I have had an idea so many times that it does not make it past the plan stage as either “it’s missing something” or “it’s not the perfect time”. I can look for what else it needs and meditate on that for as long as possible versus just showing up to the arena and letting it play out. One of the key mindsets that successful entrepreneurs have is resilience—the ability to allow themselves to bounce back from failure.

To stop the circle loop, I show up. I see that I am scared. I honour that fear and I show up anyways. Then my fears adapt once I have conquered that one being the clever Darwinians they are and we enter the new circle stage of the next fear. Life is a never-ending game-show, but without Phillip Scofield hosting it with bad puns that I secretly find hilarious. Unfortunately, research shows that increases in age do not correlate with decreases in feelings of imposter syndrome. However, equally, that means that today can be the day to change the mindset. Evolutionary psychology shows our brains are set to survival mode and to look for fear. Therefore, it is up to us to establish what survival means to me.

Why the academics hide from the word syndrome.

I worked in Superdry during Uni. We were always told to be careful with our language to avoid potential responsibility. So when asked if the jacket was waterproof, the carefully constructed return phrase was “water-resistant”. The academics avoid syndrome and prefer phenomenon, as while there is a wide breadth of research of how and why imposter phenomenon occurs, there is one study thus far on how to treat it. Even then the study was not actually put into practice. In a 1985 paper Matthews and Clance recommended validating the doubts and fears, directly addressing them and treating them with group therapy as patients often felt isolated that they alone felt this way.

While there is no data to back this up, most of the above is how I move through the fear and self-doubt of imposter syndrome:

1) Understand your past. Your body will follow the same chemical reactive set. Your brain’s default mode network will follow the same risk adverse tactic unless YOU understand what has occurred in your life that may affect your nervous system. We all have baggage, because we all have a body that learns a certain way of living, so understand your baggage or let it rule the show.

2) Validate your fears. I sit, and I tell myself I am scared. I now write and tell the internet I am scared. Then I show up anyways. Show compassion for yourself and you can teach your parieto-frontal circuit (which is part of that logical route of the brain), that fear does not mean the end. Essentially rather than letting your evolutionary Darwinian fears flourish on their own you can validate them to lessen their impact. We all have fears, but we also hold the power of how we meet them. Also validating them with others, reminds your mind that it is a universal experience.

3) Surround yourself with the belief you are embodying. If you walk into my bedroom and my study area, it is one large mood-board of “I am enough” and “I am worthy”. Selective attention, which is a cognitive process, means we focus on our main belief, therefore train your brain to what you wish for it to focus on. In turn, it will filter out the noise. Furthermore, it has been shown that the processing by the visual cortex is strongly built on past experience[v]. This is based on sensory input. So create a space exactly the way you wish for your perception to be tailored to.

4) Keep learning. The fraud way of life often shows up with the belief that you do not know enough to be in this position. One of the best ways to master this part of your brain is to have multiple interests and learn a new fact per day.

5) Surround yourself with expanders and avoid sharing your dreams with retractors. Expanders are those people with the same high vibrational growth mindset, who can own their own fears but also are working towards or have pushed through them. Retractors have a tendency for projecting their fears onto you. Thread carefully to who you choose to share your dreams with.

6) Self-awareness is confidence. Be aware of the times you are scared, be aware of the times you pushed through and that builds resilience in the brain. This in turn affects the neural network of fear such that you can bounce back quicker. Resilience training is a superpower. We all fail, but there are always wins in those failures. Stay aware. Stay compassionate. Stay forgiving. Stay celebratory.

So I will finish using the analogy of the title because it makes me happy. Report the fraud, admit that is how you are feeling. You may even see the fraud tendencies on the bank statement such as procrastination, anxiety, self-doubt, but do not clo

se the account. Keep going. The best way to solve imposter syndrome is to show up. Your brain is set to fear mode, so it is for you to train it. Show up and live life, rather than living in fear of it.

To try and be more Wise Words and Changed Life Choices, below are some upcoming events if you would like to get involved:

1) The Science of language in setting intentions and using affirmations. This event is taking place with Amy from Sage and Quartz with the opportunity for your own affirmation bracelet. Online and in-person (location and date TBA but you can bet on a Moon day).

2) Integrate and Align Circle begins once more from August 25th for six weeks, if you wish to sign up or learn more come chat.

References

[i] Kolligian J Jr, Sternberg RJ. Perceived fraudulence in young adults: is there an "imposter syndrome"? J Pers Assess. 1991 Apr;56(2):308-26. doi: 10.1207/s15327752jpa5602_10. PMID: 2056424. [ii] Cozzarelli C, Major B. Exploring the validity of the impostor phenomenon. J Soc Clin Psychol. 1990;9(4):401–17. [iii] Hutchins HM, Rainbolt H. What triggers imposter phenomenon among academic faculty? A critical incident study exploring antecedents, coping, and development opportunities. Hum Resour Dev Int. 2017;20(3):194–214. [iv] Neureiter, M., & Traut-Mattausch, E. (2016). An Inner Barrier to Career Development: Preconditions of the Impostor Phenomenon and Consequences for Career Development. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 48. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00048 [v] Kok, P. (2021) How are expectations can make us hallucinate: the neural mechanisms underlying perception.