There are actually five types of imposter syndrome that you may notice. These will often reflect the internal beliefs around what competency will mean to the individual. The five main types that you will encounter include:
- ● The perfectionist: They need everything to be perfect, or they feel like a failure. No matter how hard they work, they feel like they need it to be perfect.
- ● The natural genius: Because you have spent a lot of time picking up skills with very little effort, you assume that all competent people can do the same thing so there is nothing special about you. When something doesn’t come easy to you, you will feel ashamed.
- ● The soloist: You believe that you can handle everything by yourself. When this proves to be false, you feel that you are not worth or a failure.
- ● The expert: Before you have a chance to consider your work a success, you need to learn absolutely everything about the topic. If you do not have all the answers, you feel like a fraud.
- ● The superhero: You link competence in how well you can succeed in all the roles you hold. Failing to navigate the demands of all these challenging roles can leave you feeling like a failure. Often the thoughts and ideas that come with this are not realistic. You need to take a step away from all of this and really explore why you feel this way and whether you need to adjust that thinking. When we learn how to take a step back and explore how you can change these negative mindsets.
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David1960
Premium
Thank you Catherine for this post. It speaks to me loudly. I have read about this syndrome not too long ago on a Facebook page somewhere. But it didn't really hit me until I read your blog. I'm going to do a little more introspection on how and why I behave the way I do sometimes. This article is a real eye opener.
Thanks again!!
Thanks again!!
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ActionJacks
Premium Plus
Thank you so much for this inciteful and relevant training. The more successful I become, the more resentment and insults I have to put up with from my siblings. Hatred and resentment from loved ones can cause otherwise successful people to feel this way. Once again thanks for the wonderful information, You could publish it as an eBook!
TheCatherine
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LettyBess
Premium
Great message; thanks for sharing.
It helps me to think critically. I want to do videos and have a YouTube channel.
I'm being stuck in doing it. What comes to my mind every time I started is -- this video should be perfect in the eyes of my former office staff and friends.
This is where I got stuck as I always strive for perfection in all that I do. Is this impostor syndrome? Looking forward to your thoughts on this. Thank you, in advance, Catherine.
All the best,
Letty
It helps me to think critically. I want to do videos and have a YouTube channel.
I'm being stuck in doing it. What comes to my mind every time I started is -- this video should be perfect in the eyes of my former office staff and friends.
This is where I got stuck as I always strive for perfection in all that I do. Is this impostor syndrome? Looking forward to your thoughts on this. Thank you, in advance, Catherine.
All the best,
Letty
TheCatherine
Premium Plus
Letty, just start it. Perfection often looks too slick on YouTube, it often looks staged. People relate to real people
JKulk1
Premium
I only just came across this article Catherine, and I'm grateful I did. I was quite successful in my working life but I always felt inadequate. I have always felt like I was the imposter. Your blog opened up a lot of long hidden issues from deep inside of me. I never thought that my childhood might have been the cause of these issues. I had a fantastic home life, having had loving parents, heaps of fantastic siblings and room to roam on our bush property. Then, after reading your article, it hit me. I was bullied for the whole seven years of my primary school life. One child decided he hated me and he made my life a constant misery.
But that's a long story that I'll leave for now. Suffice to say that I lost confidence because of it.
I was always a high performer at school, but I believed I wasn't. I never thought that anyone else had noticed my dilemma, that was until about a year ago. It was at this time that I was reacquainted with several people from my primary school days. One who told me how she had always felt sorry for me and how I was treated by this bully boy and a certain teacher, strange thing was I didn't even remember the teacher. Another told me how they had avoided me because I was to intelligent, he was sorry for his actions.
I'm telling you this because, thanks to your article, I finally understand why I feel the way I do and what I can do about it.
I can't believe myself just what a profound affect your blog has had on me. I'm a big man, no longer young. I have achieved much, suffered much and have surrounded myself with a beautiful family. I have a great life, yet here I am opening myself up to you, with tears pouring out of my old eyes. Thank you Catherine. Jim
But that's a long story that I'll leave for now. Suffice to say that I lost confidence because of it.
I was always a high performer at school, but I believed I wasn't. I never thought that anyone else had noticed my dilemma, that was until about a year ago. It was at this time that I was reacquainted with several people from my primary school days. One who told me how she had always felt sorry for me and how I was treated by this bully boy and a certain teacher, strange thing was I didn't even remember the teacher. Another told me how they had avoided me because I was to intelligent, he was sorry for his actions.
I'm telling you this because, thanks to your article, I finally understand why I feel the way I do and what I can do about it.
I can't believe myself just what a profound affect your blog has had on me. I'm a big man, no longer young. I have achieved much, suffered much and have surrounded myself with a beautiful family. I have a great life, yet here I am opening myself up to you, with tears pouring out of my old eyes. Thank you Catherine. Jim
TheCatherine
Premium Plus
