Do you suffer from imposter syndrome? Do you want to feel more confident in yourself?
Jemma Roedel says there are many ways to combat imposter syndrome and improve your self-confidence. Three of her strategies include doing things even when you’re afraid, advocating for yourself, and collecting evidence of your success.
Here’s how to get over imposter syndrome with Roedel’s three strategies.
Strategy #1: Be Afraid and Do It Anyway
Imposter syndrome can stop you from acting because you believe you’re going to fail. To learn how to get over imposter syndrome, Roedel suggests that you start doing things even when you’re afraid. If you succeed, it could be a huge boost to your self-confidence and serve as evidence that you deserve to be where you are. If you don’t succeed, you’ll still know that you were brave enough to try, which can improve your confidence as well.
(Shortform note: One way to motivate yourself to do things outside your comfort zone is to get an accountability partner. An accountability partner should be someone you trust who can encourage you to stay on track with your goals. They can help you celebrate your successes while also pushing you to challenge yourself more when necessary.)
Strategy #2: Start Advocating for Yourself in Small Ways
When you struggle with self-confidence (as many women do), you might find it difficult to advocate for yourself at work. To build up your confidence to self-advocate, Roedel advises that you begin requesting small things. This helps you practice recognizing what you need and expressing that to people who can help you fulfill those needs. Every time you advocate for yourself, your confidence grows. Eventually, you’ll have more confidence to ask for bigger things.
For example, say you’d like to work from home because you focus better that way, but you feel you’ll be an imposition if you ask. You could build your confidence by asking to work from home two days a week to start.
(Shortform note: Beyond asking for things at work, you can incorporate small moments of self-advocacy into your everyday routine to build your confidence. These could happen any time you have a chance to share an opinion, make a decision, or communicate your needs. For instance, when your spouse asks what you want for dinner, instead of saying that you’re open to anything, you might say that you want to order pizza.)
Strategy #3: Collect Evidence of Your Success
According to Roedel, another way to improve your confidence is by collecting notes of appreciation and other positive feedback from others in one physical place. This could be a folder, a notebook, or anywhere else you could keep the notes safe. When you’re not feeling confident, this collection can serve as evidence of your ability to succeed. The items are reminders of your good qualities and the things other people appreciate about you.
(Shortform note: Some experts suggest writing down successes and positive things people have said about you every day. Daily practice helps to get rid of the common habit of only remembering the negative things that happen to you. In addition to collecting these positive experiences in a folder or notebook, you might record them on a calendar. Then, you can look back at specific days or see that something good happened every single day.)
