Do you have it? This guide outlines in clear terms the imposter syndrome definition and strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome.
Founder Reports released a study earlier in 2024 looking at mental health and entrepreneurs that revealed a few shocking things. For starters, 87.7% of all business owners struggle with at least one mental health issue and more entrepreneurs are concerned with their mental health than they are with their physical.
Dig a bit deeper into the study and you see some revelations about female business owners specifically. The big one is our headline – 41.2% of female entrepreneurs say they struggle with imposter syndrome.
To give context to this statistic, only 27.8% of men feel the same way. It shows women clearly enter entrepreneurship with a lack of confidence compared to their male counterparts – but what is imposter syndrome and how do you combat it as a business owner?
Imposter syndrome definition
What is imposter syndrome? The simple imposter syndrome definition is that imposter syndrome is when you feel like a fraud. You don’t believe you belong where you are or deserve the success you’ve achieved.
For whatever reason, you see yourself as an imposter in a specific field. We’re talking about imposter syndrome in entrepreneurship and the statistics suggest that over 4 in 10 female business owners don’t believe they belong where they are.
What causes imposter syndrome?
People have tried to work out what causes imposter syndrome over the years but it all comes down to one simple factor in the imposter syndrome definition: self-doubt.
You don’t feel confident, which makes you doubt every decision. Ironically, confidence should grow when you see the results of your hard work and ideas. You had business concepts and managed to execute them to the point that you’ve started a pretty successful small company.
And yet, this only increases your doubts and imposter syndrome kicks in. You look at all of your success and attribute it to luck or other factors, never believing that it’s all come about through your genius.
Some people are naturally born with this perception of themselves, or they develop it throughout school or growing up. Others start to feel like an imposter after they’ve achieved success.
This can happen when attending business conferences or trade shows and networking with other entrepreneurs. You see people in this line of work for decades who all seem more confident and assured than you. It can leave you feeling doubtful about your abilities and intelligence – almost like you don’t “fit in”. Just like that, imposter syndrome kicks in.
Is imposter syndrome a bad thing?
Podcast bros who preach about the “grindset” will try to tell you that imposter syndrome is a good thing and can work for you. They’ll claim it can have a positive influence on your life by encouraging you to never settle.
If you feel like an imposter, you always work extra hard to try and prove that you’re not, they say. In theory, it’s all the motivation you need to always give 110% in everything you do. Reality is far from this.
The imposter syndrome definition isn’t classified as a mental health condition, but it can lead to some serious mental health problems – most notably anxiety and depression. The more you ponder this, the more obvious the connection becomes. If you have loads of self-doubt and never believe you’re good enough, you’re always going to experience anxiety at work or when speaking at conferences.
You have thoughts in your mind telling you this is all luck and your life will soon come crashing down around you. It’s a very short leap from here to full-blown depression.
Mental health is no joke and you should do everything to keep yourself mentally healthy. That’s why addressing imposter syndrome is critical and you shouldn’t view it as a good thing! Don’t let your self-doubts “fuel” your work ethic or convince you to work even harder as you’ll end up burning out.
Going back to our original study from Founder Reports, 30.9% of female business owners suffer from burnout – that’s nearly a third. This is likely a direct result of imposter syndrome in many cases.
Overcoming imposter syndrome
Dealing with imposter syndrome isn’t easy, but here are a few things you should or shouldn’t do to get over it:
- Acknowledge your achievements – Remind yourself how you got where you are. Acknowledge everything you’ve achieved and recognize that they are valid achievements you earned. You wouldn’t be where you are today if it wasn’t for hard work, dedication, and a lot of intelligence. Be more aware of this and don’t be afraid to celebrate your achievements either.
- Avoid looking for coping mechanisms – Stay away from things like drugs or alcohol to try and “cope” with imposter syndrome. You often get so depressed feeling like an imposter that it leads you down a dark path. The best drug rehab will help you snap out of this funk if you’re in it, but we’d rather you avoid it altogether. Don’t do things that temporarily bring relief from what you’re feeling, particularly if they’re damaging to your mind or body.
- Don’t compare yourself to others – Comparisons are the leading cause of imposter syndrome. Stop looking at other people and comparing where you are to where they are. Appreciate that everyone has a journey in life and focus on yours.
- Keep your expectations realistic – Imposter syndrome sometimes comes as you search for perfection and never reach it. You set too high standards, so you always fall short and begin doubting your abilities. Snap out of this habit and keep your expectations realistic. Set achievable goals and you’ll feel more confident and fulfilled as you achieve them.
- Challenge yourself – When the negative thoughts come (and they always will) stand up for yourself! Challenge these thoughts and recall all of your achievements to prove your mind wrong. You’ll soon realize you’re trying to sabotage yourself and you actually do belong where you are.
Final words…
The imposter syndrome definition is found frighteningly commonly in female entrepreneurs, largely because we don’t always see ourselves as worthy. A lifetime of being told men should be in charge does this to people, but it’s time to stand up and recognize that we do belong at the head of a business.
Remind yourself of your strengths and be proud of what you’ve achieved. If you’ve made it somewhere, then it’s because you worked for it and completely deserve all of your success.
