In Brief
- Some people feel like they have fooled everyone into thinking they are smarter or more competent than they really are, despite consistently performing well and garnering praise.
- This feeling of being an impostor is related to but not fully explained by depression, social anxiety and low self-esteem. It may be more common in women.
- To break the cycle of self-doubt and self-sabotage, people must learn how to give themselves credit for their achievements as well as take constructive criticism about their mistakes and failures.
“That was a really impressive exam. Why don’t you write your dissertation on that subject? Let’s set up an appointment for you to come by, and we’ll talk about it,” said the professor to Nina after she completed a test.
Unfortunately, the up-and-coming mathematician was unable to take in and enjoy the compliment. Rather her head was full of thoughts such as “What a nice man, and he asked me such easy test questions. That was a close call! Now I’ve got to make sure not to talk shop with him because then he’ll realize that I faked it. He’ll see right through me.” By the time Nina had finished going through her well-worn mental routine, she realized that there was no way she was going to accept her professor’s offer.
This article was originally published with the title Great Pretenders.
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6 Comments
Add CommentSorry to rain on this parade, but far too often I've seen undeserving people vastly over-credit themselves for the most minor of accomplishments, using "self-esteem" as the reason. Legitimate achievement deserves recognition; self-esteem merits none.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMaybe related to the Dunning-Kruger Effect?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this@Gaul: I think what you've said is true, BUT ... I don't think you're referring to the topic of this article.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn this case, we're discussing people who probably actually DO deserve more rewards but are lacking the ability to appreciate their own skills and in fact feel as though they are "pertending". I'm imagining (without paying to read the rest of the article) the way these people appear to others will easily mask their true motives and make this condition hard to spot.
As a subscriber to the digital Scientific American, I was told a charge of $5.99 would apply to finish reading this article (the same charge, I discovered, charged to everyone not logged in). Not in the mood to reach back there and retrieve some plastic.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCommenting on the first remark, when I hear "self-esteem" my immediate thought is "entitlement," because when one forces the former upon themselves, the latter seems to always exude as a byproduct or rather a waste product (i.e., as in eating food through one orifice, then excreting it through another?).
The couch potato generation about to retire has been indoctrinated quite well to believe "self-esteem" is a virtue. They waltz into work at 10 or 11 a.m., take long lunches, and wrap it up early. Add "fat slob" to their profile and my oh my oh my, what a vision of American excess.
As a rebel of that generation, denying the junk food industry its due (and so healthy it makes my couch potato generation want to puke), I try to take a middle ground to this article and the extreme opposite "self-esteem" b.s. prevalent today. I never assume (as in making an ass-u-me, an old cliche admittedly) that a good personal "report card" in my occupation or personal life is anything but a snap-shot of the here and now. Or to quip Charles Schwab (?), "past performance is not indicative of future performance" or whatever. I guess one should never rest on their laurels, in other words.
It's about fear of logically upcoming responsabilities.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you did good, logically you'll be given other tasks.
It's fear of escalation, featr of losing liberty, fear of being trapped in a process.
It's actually a pretty archaic behavior.
Intelligent people are prone to "paranoïa" in the broder sense of the term, they think about a lot of possibilities, and as with any powerful tool, the are pros and cons.
Dear Birgit,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThank you so much for this helpful article. For years, I've struggled with deep self doubt in the face of what outwardly looks like success. I've earned an advanced degree, published two books, and continued to feel like a failure. Frankly, I had blown off the impostor phenomenon as an explanation for my difficulties. It wasn't until I read one of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Questionnaire items in your sidebar that I began to recognize myself. After taking the entire evaluation (available on Clance's website: www.paulineroseclance.com), I now realize this is the source of my struggle. I am immensely grateful to you for bringing this phenomenon to light so that people like me can find ways to overcome it and enjoy their hard-earned successes with the joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment that they deserve.
With gratitude,
Tara