Feeling inadequate or not good enough for your job?
Even with your credentials and experience, you might feel that you aren’t cut out for the job you have— to the point of feeling like a fraud.
My friend, you might be experiencing imposter syndrome. And it could very well be stopping you from achieving your career goals.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern where an individual doubts his/her abilities despite undeniable evidence of their competence.
It happens to most of us. And if left unchecked, it can hinder your personal growth, confidence, and career advancement.
Fortunately, here are 5 ways to overcome imposter syndrome:
Keep a List of Your Achievements and Victories
Some people are afraid to acknowledge their wins. They think that they might look arrogant for doing so. But why should you care about what other people think?
Every achievement, whether big or small, is the fruit of your hard work. It’s evidence that you’ve worked hard for the blessings you now have.
Keep a list of your achievements and victories — maybe, in a notebook or even on your phone.
So that when an episode of imposter syndrome creeps in, you can take a quick look to validate your self-worth.
Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
Based on studies, 80% of your thoughts are negative. A good chunk of them are self depreciating thoughts that lead us to undervalue ourselves.
The good news is that you don’t have to succumb to your negative thoughts. Instead, why not challenge them?
For example, when you get an intrusive thought that you aren’t good enough, you can challenge it by looking for evidence that says otherwise.
This could be what you’ve achieved at your job. Or perhaps your acquired skills or glowing client testimonials.
By challenging your thoughts, you can keep your destructive inner dialogue in check and question your negative assumptions.
In this way, you can also reframe the latter and find alternative explanations and perspectives.
See Your Weaknesses as Opportunities for Growth
No one is perfect. We all have weaknesses that we need to improve on. But some dwell too long on the things they lack that they begin to lose self confidence.
Some might even ask themselves if they deserve their current position because of certain deficiencies.
Know that having weaknesses doesn’t mean that you’re not worthy.
Try to change your perspective about weaknesses and see them instead as opportunities for growth.
For example, let’s say you’re not too familiar with SEO marketing. Sign up for a course or seminar to learn more about it instead of doubting yourself.
This way, you can grow even further in your remote working career.
Get Feedback from Your Superiors or Clients
Sometimes, we need validation from other people to battle imposter syndrome.
Yes, you can get feedback from your colleagues. But the best form of feedback is from your superiors or clients.
This way, you can get reliable and objective feedback for the things you’re doing well and your areas for improvement.
And positive feedback is one of the greatest validations you can use to battle imposter syndrome.
Just make sure that you know how to receive feedback effectively from your clients.
Practice Self Care
Lastly, practicing self care will do wonders to overcome imposter syndrome.
When you take care of yourself, you nurture self-compassion to avoid being overly critical about what you’re lacking. You develop kindness, understanding, and patience for yourself.
Self-care also helps to boost your self-confidence and self-esteem. It can help you to recognize and appreciate your strengths and successes, allowing you to become more resilient and creative.
Try this ultimate self-care guide to start giving yourself the self love you deserve to avoid imposter syndrome.
With the tips above, you can definitely help mitigate imposter syndrome in your remote working career.
And if you don’t have a remote job yet, you can sign up through Remote Staff for the best online job listings for Filipinos.
Remote Staff offers long-term remote working opportunities in different fields.
And when you use the tips above, you can better manage your imposter syndrome and muster up the courage to apply for the online job you truly deserve. Cheers!
