Impostor Syndrome: What to Do When You Never Feel "Good Enough"

Impostor Syndrome: What to Do When You Never Feel “Good Enough”

Impostor syndrome can rob us of the enjoyment of our accomplishments.

You may have felt that you just weren’t very good at something. That’s normal. It’s completely acceptable to feel that you aren’t the best at something – logically, you can’t be the best at everything.

However, it’s an issue is when those feelings of inadequacy stop you from trying something, or stop you from being your best you. Case in point – you are asked to give a speech to a group. (Besides the fact that public speaking is such a widely-held fear that it is used in research studies as a way to measure fear response, let’s say you are usually fine with speaking to a group) (Garcia-Leal, Graeff, & Del-Ben, 2014). However, as you are speaking, you wonder Why would they listen to me? What if they find out I really don’t know what I’m talking about? A feeling of dread comes over you. How long will I be able to keep up this charade until someone figures out I’m not that great? This is commonly referred to as “impostor syndrome”.

Impostor syndrome can have several roots. Read about them on Psychology Today

About the Author: Stephanie Sarkis

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), and AMHCA Diplomate and Clinical Specialist in Child and Adolescent Counseling based in Tampa Bay, Florida, where she specializes in the treatment of ADD/ADHD. Dr. Sarkis conducts evaluations, testing, diagnosis, and counseling services. She also is a public speaker, consultant, coach, and is a facilitator in collaborative law.