If you’ve ever wondered if you were successful enough, and subsequently thought, “No successful person wonders if they’re successful enough,” you’re not alone. You are also not correct either. The belief that confidence is something to be achieved only if you have proven your worth keeps new professionals from believing in their competence. This concept is known as imposter syndrome, and it affects those on the precipice of new careers, leading to self-doubt and insecurity about their competence in their new role. If this sounds like you, your experience is more common than you may believe. You might think that holding these fears reveals a greater truth about your inadequacy, but in fact, it may be the opposite. As newbies, it is easy to assume that confidence propels action, which makes us feel competent. However, confidence is not an inherent trait. You’re just getting started. In fact, a study involving 11,000 new professionals found that 62% struggled with imposter thoughts in their first year, despite strong indicators of occupational success. The good news is that these feelings aren’t permanent. As you become more comfortable in your professional identity and feel more familiar with your environment, these imposter thoughts tend to decline over time. The actions you take instill a sense of competence, and as you continue, your confidence will naturally emerge. Confidence comes from experience. It makes sense that when you have little to no experience, you would hold little to no confidence. Confidence, like all good things, comes to those who wait.
Self-doubt is scary, but it doesn’t have to be paralyzing. Your internal judgment indicates that you are strongly motivated to be in your new role, which can be a strong motivator for your emerging success. Researchers from MIT (2022) found that employees with “imposter thoughts” performed better on measures of interpersonal effectiveness in the workplace, which is also positively correlated with quality of work performance. Although these thoughts may be scary, the research shows that you are actually more likely to be successful in your role. Here are some reframes that could help you better understand your fears as features of your
growth process:
1. “I feel like a fraud because I am unqualified” → “I feel friction because I’m expanding my skill set”
a. In the first statement, the focal point is the feeling of fraudulence in connection with a false truth about your inadequacy. In the second statement, you acknowledge the hardship faced in developing new skills. This is important because the difficulty experienced is not inherent to one’s ability to succeed, but rather a facet of the growth process that comes from learning something new.
2. “I can’t feel fearful; otherwise, I can never succeed” → “Fear is present because the stakes are meaningful.”
a. The first statement makes a correlation between the absence of fear and the presence of success, which makes fear into the problem, rather than a natural part of the learning curve. In the second statement, fear is viewed as a healthy emotional response to a meaningful experience. This is important because fear is bound to arrive when you are in a new environment. If the presence of fear makes you believe that success is impossible, then every time a new stressor arises, you will be paralyzed with worries of inadequacy. The reframe helps us see that fear is both normal and motivating, and it helps us show up in new roles with fear at our side, knowing that it speaks to our values and drive.
3. “I am just faking it” → “I am actively bridging the gap between what I know and what I need to learn”
a. The “just faking it” mentality often comes with fraudulent feelings. But as the saying goes, fake it ‘til you make it. At the precipice of your career, you arrive with a certain skillset that is actively expanding each day you show up. In the beginning, you are learning the ropes, and soon enough, you’ll be free solo climbing (metaphorically speaking, unless your job is in outdoor adventure
obstacle courses). Your early accomplishments are not the product of luck. They are the product of your hard work and dedication to learning your new role, and with time, you will continue bridging the gap, which may never fully close. Remember that learning in any career is lifelong.
4. “I don’t belong in this room full of smart people” → “I can learn from their intelligence while expanding my own”
a. Comparing your intelligence to your colleagues can be daunting, especially when there are vast differences between years of experience. It can feel overwhelming to feel less capable than those around you, and it makes sense that it would create a sense of doubt. However, this reframing can help you see that your colleagues’ knowledge is an excellent resource and that they can help you build your own intelligence in your field. The intimidating factor can deter you from reaching out, but remember that your colleagues want you to succeed. Reach out, ask questions, and use your network! You are a valuable member of your team, and the more you
Lean on and learn from your peers; the more you do, the more you will absorb the skills that have helped them succeed.
5. “Everyone else has it all figured out except for me” → “Everyone else is also managing their own internal friction and learning curves”
a. This reframe is especially helpful in validating your own struggles. When we are experiencing hardship in a new role, it can be easy to see those with more experience gliding smoothly. It can also be a source of hope that one day the fear and friction will be gone. However, this sets an unrealistic standard. Everyone, no matter their role or status, experiences doubt at some point in their professional careers. While doubt may be heightened at the beginning of your career, it is worth knowing that it may persist even later in your professional journey and is not indicative of inadequacy. Learn to lean into the flow of the friction and see what you can learn rather than focusing on what you don’t know.
Your response to challenges in your new workplace can reveal how you think about yourself, others, and the world around you. The patterns that emerge may be signals of deeper core beliefs, which impact our perception of experiences and influence our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. A person with imposter syndrome may hold a core belief of “I am not good enough” and may
interpret ambiguous feedback as negative, which can result in a perpetually distressing experience each time they don’t perform to “perfection.” However, it is important to know that core beliefs are malleable and can be challenged to adapt to encourage self-compassion. Whether you are working on adapting your core beliefs with a therapist or bringing intentional awareness
to the impact of your core beliefs, always keep curiosity and open-mindedness as you approach unfamiliar situations.
While it can be difficult not to focus on the one tiny mistake you made at work, remember to look back at all you’ve accomplished to get here thus far. If you feel uncertain, try making a list of your positive contributions or a list of positive affirmations. This practice helps introduce new evidence that contradicts the negatively skewed bias you may have towards yourself and your accomplishments. At the start of your career, it’s okay to feel scared and even doubtful, but these fears don’t speak the truth about your potential in your role. Your competency is developing, and your confidence is on the way.
