Have you ever experienced these questions: “Is it really me who succeeded? », « Is my success deserved? “Do I have the right to be in this place?” “. In our original podcast “ Wait a minute ! », we find our appointment « La Bulle », where we talk about ourselves. Today, we talk about the impostor syndrome with Virginie Megglé, psychoanalyst, author of numerous books, including the last Free yourself from the feeling of imposture, allow yourself to believe in yourself (Eyrolles editions18 euros).
The impression of not deserving, nor of being in one’s place
This book returns to a widely shared feeling! According to one study published in the Journal of Behavioral Science in 2011, about 70% of people in the world suffered, at least once in their lives, from impostor syndrome. Among them, people recognized for their skills, such as the actor Tom Hanksthe actresses Lupita Nyong’o And Renee Zellweger…
The impostor syndrome is a self-perpetuating feeling, which is expressed by the fear of being caught in the act of deception, when one does not intend to abuse those around him. People have the tenacious impression of not being in the right place, of not deserving it, of occupying that of another, of not being competent, despite academic or professional success. To explain a positive event, a success, they could say “to have been lucky”.
How to resist it?
People who experience this feeling live in guilt, doubt about themselves, about the validity of their actions, even of their presence. There is behind this feeling a conflict of perception between the way one perceives oneself, and the perception of others.
This discrepancy and these feelings of devaluation are a source of distress vis-à-vis their physical appearance, their social skills, or even their athletic or intellectual abilities… In this episode, listen to Virginie Megglé discuss the characteristics of the feeling of imposture, before proposing ways to get rid of it, and allow yourself to believe in yourself. Among them, stop comparing yourself to others, find “allies” to integrate a support system, but also make allowances. Enjoy listening to this episode, in the audio player above!