Impostor Syndrome
A Limiting Belief
BY DR. ERIKA MONTGOMERY
84% of Entrepreneurs and small business owners report experiencing “Imposter Syndrome”. (Kajabi, 2020).
mpostor
syndrome is not a
diagnosable
mental condition, but rather a phenomenon where you doubt your skills and your abilities. It is a persistent feeling of incompetence despite your education, experience and accomplishments. This phenomenon was first described by Psychologists Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes in 1978. According to a leading researcher Dr. Valerie Young, Impostor Phenomenon was originally thought to primarily impact accomplished and successful women. But this experience is commonly shared by individuals in many professions and levels of accomplishment.
Impostor phenomena are caused by environmental influences, social messages and limiting beliefs. When you are in an environment focused on achievement your value comes from your accomplishments and competition is rewarded. When you receive social messages about your sense of belonging being connected to your achievement, you get caught in the cycle of comparison that leads to not feeling good enough. Cultural expectations and stereotypes can often leave you feeling like an anomaly or outsider. Overly critical parenting creates limiting beliefs of not being good enough, fear of failure or fear of rejection where your worth comes from external validation from others.
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