‘Imposter Syndrome’ is a serious affliction.
It stuns you by taking away your self-belief and leaves you in a bind of doubts and a fear of failure.
Women entrepreneurs are highly prone to be affected by it, given the many roles they have to juggle in pursuit of their goals. This post is about what can be done to overcome it.
What is imposter syndrome in women entrepreneurs?
Let’s define imposter syndrome in layman words. In entrepreneurship, this refers to a psychological pattern where entrepreneurs start to doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a nagging fear of being called a ‘fraud’.
Those affected will remain convinced that they are undeserving of their success and are merely deceiving others about their capabilities. No amount of external evidence and validation works well on them.
What are the characteristics of imposter syndrome in women entrepreneurs?
Most women entrepreneurs don’t even realize when imposter syndrome kicks in owing to the different roles they play in their lives. But here are some characteristics of it that can often bog down the entrepreneurship spirit:
1. Self-Doubt
When self-doubt becomes a shadow that doesn’t follow you but threatens to engulf you. It makes you constantly question yourself, your self-worth and the constant din of being unworthy rings in your ears, all day, everyday.
2. Attributing Success to External Factors
The chronic pattern of believing that success is a fluke, a matter of chance, or due to other external factors, never once believing that it’s on account of your own competence. This can often result in believing in your own skill and underplaying your experiences.
3. Fear of Failure
Heightened anxiety and stress on account of living in persistent fear of being discovered as a fraud, is your sign of suffering due to this syndrome.
4. Perfectionism
Setting unreasonable benchmarks and feeling like a failure when these are not met, is another self-defeating exercise which becomes too common when you have imposter syndrome.
5. Overworking
Overworking yourself to the point of physical and mental exhaustion fuelled by the belief that you’ve to compensate for the perceived lack of ability. This also often leads to burnouts which can be hard to leave behind.
How to overcome imposter syndrome as a female entrepreneur
Here are some ways in which you can proactively address imposter syndrome as a woman entrepreneur:
1. Recognize and Acknowledge It
Unlike in the past, know that it’s not a weakness to admit that you suffer from it. Many like you and before you have experienced it too. Only those who recognize and acknowledge it are more likely to be able to address it – notice the smallest of changes in what you believe and how you handle the circumstances around you.
2. Keep a Success Log
Journaling is a good practice to follow. Maintain one that logs your achievements, positive feedback, and milestones. Regularly revisit this journal to remind yourself of how far you’ve come in your journey. It will remind you of your capabilities and successes.
PS. We have a feel good folder where we keep messages, emails and other instances stowed away for a rainy day.
3. Set Realistic Expectations
Get realistic in what you aspire for. Set achievable goals and recognize that sometimes things may not pan out as planned. Learn to embrace setbacks as part of the entrepreneurial journey – after all, that’s what you signed up for – the risks, the wins, the losses and it all!
4. Embrace Lifelong Learning
Challenges as markers of your learning curve and not as a measure of your inadequacies. Always seek opportunities for learning and professional development – that way you will also continually address the weaknesses you believe you have.
5. Build a Support Network
Build for yourself a supportive ecosystem of mentors, peers, and advisors. Never hesitate to ask for guidance and feedback from those who understand your entrepreneurial journey – because, sometimes, it takes more than your immediate friends and family.
6. Delegate and Trust Your Team
Building trust in your team is a gamechanger. Remember that you can’t do everything yourself. You have to learn to delegate work and trust their expertise. A good way to also bring them onto the same page as you is to share your vision, mission and values with them.
7. Celebrate Your Wins
Take every chance you get to celebrate all your big and small wins. These acknowledgements tell you how far you’ve made it in your journey. And never underplay even the smallest of wins you have during the journey!
8. Shift Your Perspective
Use your self-doubt to push boundaries and as a sign of growth. Understand that feeling like an imposter often means that you are challenging yourself to step out of your comfort zone. It’s the version of ‘you’ that no longer serves your dream and you’re being pushed to take a step to become the new you.
9. Practice Self-Compassion
Treat yourself with as much compassion as you do others. Be kind to yourself and go easy on self- criticism.
10. Focus on Value Creation
Focus on the value you are providing to your customers and clients. Recognize the positive impact of your work and stand validated for your efforts in that direction.
11. Seek Professional Help if Needed
Seek professional help- reach out to a therapist or consider working with a business coach. This can help you with tailored strategies and a neutral perspective.
12. Stay Connected with Your Why
Remind yourself often on why you started your entrepreneurial journey. When you touch base with your purpose and passion it can help to counteract feelings of self- doubt.
Conclusion
It’s natural to feel a little antsy when you step out of your comfort zone.
What it needs is just a conscious shift in how you look at things.
Take the journey with its challenges and reward yourself often for just staying on it even when you aren’t making big splashes everyday.
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