Imposter syndrome;here is why?-Academia
Imposter syndrome refers to the feeling of self-doubt, inadequacy, or fraudulence that some people experience, despite their successes or accomplishments. This feeling can be prevalent in academia, where there is often a high pressure to succeed and a culture that values intellectual achievement.
People with imposter syndrome may feel like they don’t deserve their successes or have somehow tricked others into thinking they are more competent than they are. They may worry that they will be accused of fraud and have difficulty internalizing their achievements. Speaking with my friends directly and indirectly during our graduate studies made me realize this is more common than talking about.
There are a few things that may contribute to imposter syndrome in academia:
A culture of perfectionism: Many academics face expectations to excel in their field and to produce high-quality work. This expectation can create pressure to be perfect, which can be challenging to live up to. Examples include best paper, poster, project, and thesis presentations.
A competitive environment: Academia can be a competitive field, leading to feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. I will use the scholarship class to demonstrate this; sometimes, if you end up in a class that is academic excellence based during selection and you do not perform well, it is disheartening, and you may feel lost and not fit in. However, it would help if you keep tabs on how you got there; it will encourage and help you maneuver because “the person next to you knows something you don't, you know something they don't,” and keep your head high.
A lack of mentorship: It can be helpful to have a mentor who can provide guidance and support, but only some have this opportunity. I submitted unedited or unsupervised work to a conference, which was rejected. I was not disappointed. I learned the power of mentorship and plan to tell a story of success next year when I publish again.
A lack of diversity: If you are in a field or department where you are the only person like you (e.g., the only woman, the only person of color), you may feel like you don’t belong or that you have to work harder to prove yourself. My favorite reference point is working in a team of nine men. As the only yet young African or person of color woman, I had to work extra hard for several months to prove my managerial role to the rest of my time from different races and gender. was I worried about my performance? yes did I excel? yes. All that was accompanied by strong feelings of not being good enough or not being understood so many times, thankfully, my supervisor was supportive, and I can tell the story.
High expectations: If you have high expectations for yourself or if others have high expectations of you, it can be easy to feel like you’re not living up to them. Milestones are your best friends, small wins such as writing a code to calculate the addition of two numbers build you to develop a tesla tracking app.
Fear of failure: If you fear failure, you may be more likely to feel like an imposter because you’re worried about not living up to others’ expectations.
A history of failure: If you’ve had failures in the past, you may be more prone to imposter syndrome because you may worry that you’re not good enough.
A lack of confidence: If you lack confidence in your abilities or are not used to succeeding, you may be more prone to feeling like an imposter when you do achieve.
If you’re experiencing imposter syndrome, it can be helpful to recognize that it’s a shared experience and that you’re not alone. It can also be beneficial to talk to someone you trust, such as a mentor or a therapist, about your feelings. Finally, try to focus on your strengths and accomplishments and remind yourself that it’s normal to make mistakes and to have areas where you need to improve.
