Now we need to take a look at what some of the triggers are for imposter syndrome. This will showcase itself in different ways depending on the person who has it. Just because someone reacts in a certain way or has a specific trigger does not mean you will have the same one. In this chapter, we will take a closer look at some of your imposter syndrome triggers to help you recognize and prevent them in the future.

Take a moment to thin back to the first time you felt like a fraud. Where were you? Who was with you? What was said to you at the time? What thoughts were going through your mind at the time? What exactly made you feel like you were a fake? This is important to go through and answer these questions as much as possible. This is the first place where your imposter syndrome happened and can point out important clue to your triggers.

It is likely that your triggers for imposter syndrome today are the same, or at least related to, that first experience with imposter syndrome. Why do you need to know what these triggers are? Because imposter syndrome is negative and can really mess with your happiness and self-confidence. Knowing them will make a big difference.

There are different things that can trigger imposter syndrome. Some of the most common will include:

• Low confidence: This is the most common reason that you feel like an imposter. You may lack confidence and believe that you feel like an imposter because of that lack of confidence.
• ● Being out of the comfort zone: if you do something that is out of your comfort zone, then you may feel like an imposter. If you are getting a promotion, being a leader at the project, or doing public speaking, this syndrome can start to show up again.
  
• ● Achieving success quickly or fast for your age: If you get that big promotion while being the youngest on the team, it is normal to feel like an imposter. Or if you just started a new job and get moved up to a senior position in a few months, you can feel this way as well.
  
• ● Being in the minority: If there is some reason that you feel like the minority in the situation, this can make you feel like an imposter as well. This could be a situation such as being a woman in a male-dominated field.
  
• ● Being the first or only person like you: This could include being the youngest to do something, the first woman to do something, or even the first person in your family to do something. Since you have no one to compare yourself with, you may feel like an imposter.
  
• ● Your childhood: It is not uncommon for stuff from your childhood to make you feel like an imposter. The way that your parents taught you to view success, or if you were pushed to be perfect without ever reaching that lofty goal with your parents, you may notice your self-worth has taken a hit as well. This can carry on to your adult life as well.
  
• ● Bullying or harassment: This can happen in your personal life or in the workplace and can make it hard for you to experience some of the imposter syndrome that you are dealing with.

When you are able to recognize what your trigger is for imposter syndrome, you will be able to fight it off and not feel like you are a big fraud or that you will be caught for not knowing what you are doing. You can release some of the negative thoughts in your mind and really get some of the recognition that you need for all your hard work in the process.