A little self-doubt is good as it pushes us to give our best.
However, second-guessing oneself all the time turns into imposter syndrome if left unchecked, due to the insecurity and doubt clouding one’s mind.

Second-Guessing Left Unchecked

Imposter syndrome is common among many professionals and the symptoms include self-doubting questions like:
*1. How did I get this job profile?
<ol>
<li>Am I good enough to handle so many new responsibilities?</li>
<li>Am I undeserving of being in such a position after my second promotion?*</li>
</ol>

The Constant Nagging Feeling Of Doubt

<ol>
<li>Understand that imposter syndrome is common among brilliant, qualified professionals and it is okay to be nervous.</li>
<li>Keep in mind that the best of us can fail, and try not to let the fear of failing to get the better of you.</li>
<li>Handle things one day at a time, focusing your nervous energy on new learnings.</li>
<li>Be sincere to yourself and everyone around you, and understand that no one has all the right answers.</li>
<li>Capitalize on your strengths.</li>
<li>Try to find a trustworthy ally and form a support system.</li>
</ol>

Stopping The Second-Guessing

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		Summary.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
		A certain level of self-doubt is good. It can push us to work harder. But when it manifests as imposter syndrome — that nagging voice in the back of your head, clouding your mind with doubt and insecurity — it can backfire. If you’ve recently been promoted or...<button dir="ltr">more</button>
	</div><img src="https://hbr.org/resources/images/article_assets/2020/10/Ascend_Logo_2020_2x.png" alt="Ascend logo" width="105" height="25">Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend <a href="https://hbr.org/insight-center/ascend" dir="ltr">here</a>.Once I was in a large auditorium filled with marketing and sales professionals who were gathered to attend a training program on the fundamentals of the coffee business. I was a brand manager in a company I had just joined. During the training, someone asked, “What’s the difference between soluble coffee and roast and ground coffee?”It was a simple question. I knew the answer. But I still refrained from raising my hand.What if it was a trick? What if I was wrong? What if I wound up looking stupid?I was my first day on the job as a new recruit. “It’s probably best for someone with more experience to respond,” I thought to myself. I didn’t say anything and someone else used the opportunity to speak up.Turns out, I had the right answer.This wasn’t a one-off scenario. There have been so many times throughout my career when I’ve second-guessed my own abilities. You know the feeling — that nagging voice in the back of your head, clouding your mind with doubt and insecurity.Imposter syndrome.It followed me for years until the consequences of keeping quiet began to outweigh the consequences of speaking up. I finally I told myself: “You know the answers. You’re smart. You have to say something.” I came to realize that even if my answer was incorrect, I would learn something new. The benefit of raising my voice outweighed the emotional cost of my silence. I looked at the evidence and it showed me that no one in my organization had been penalized for getting something wrong. In fact, they had been rewarded for their participation.After that, I made it a point to contribute. I began to share my point of view, whether or not it differed from the majority perspective. People began to notice. They said I had “leadership potential.”Years later, I joined the senior leadership team of a multinational organization. I was working out of Ghana and heading a business unit for their Central and West African region. At the age of 36, I was the youngest and first African woman to have held that role. I was also the first women on an otherwise all-male team. Exhilarating as it was, stepping into my new position meant that a number of employees — both men and women — looked up to me as a source of inspiration for what I had achieved and the odds I beat.I was already nervous to take on a more senior role but those feelings were compounded by another truth: I was representing a group of people whose own careers may be helped or hindered by my success or failure.My imposter syndrome snuck back in. “Am I the right person for this job?” I wondered. So I reminded myself that I was there because I was capable. I had to continue doing what I had done throughout my career: focus on the job, give it 100%, and deliver results. Nothing more and nothing less.If you’ve recently been promoted or found the job of your dreams, but find yourself overtaken by imposter syndrome, I understand. There is probably a myriad of questions going through your head:<UL><LI>How did I get here? </LI><LI>Am I really good enough to be doing this? </LI><LI>Can I handle these responsibilities? </LI><LI>Will I make a fool of myself? </LI><LI>Will my former colleagues think of me as undeserving of my promotion?&nbsp;</LI></UL>Based on my own experiences, here are five pieces of advice that can help you dial down the self-criticism and grow in your career, while remaining true to yourself.<h2>Acknowledge that it’s normal to feel nervous.</h2>Imposter syndrome is particularly common when you’re new, or a minority among a group of people that look, behave, or have very different experiences than you. Know that it’s normal to feel uncomfortable. Remember that you won’t be in the minority of newcomers forever. Someone else will be hired or promoted at one point or another and join the ranks. Suddenly, you’ll be one of the old hands, and a part of your role will be to help the newbie settle in.In the meantime, a certain level of nervousness and doubt is good. It counterbalances complacency and can push you to work harder. When I shift my perspective in this way, it helps me get out of my own mind and look ahead. Acknowledging your feelings, but also understanding that they are common, has a way of calming your senses by reducing the angst and reminding you to focus on your goal.<h2>Don’t harbor a fear of failing.</h2>Here’s one thing I’ve learned: The best people can fail, and the most unlikely people can succeed. The unlikely ones are those who fall and get up and try again and again until they finally reach their goal.Push your fear aside and focus your nervous energy on learning and adding value to your new role. Take it one day at a time. When you identify an area of weakness, own it. Think of it as an opportunity to grow. This is how the best leaders gain confidence.I have always taken personal growth seriously, but I rarely wait around for my organization to send me to workshops or training programs. Most times, the best lessons can be learned at home or on the job.I read a lot about my areas of business, and spend time studying case studies relevant to my work. If you feel you don’t have enough information on your own industry, I’d suggest you do the same and read up. If you feel you need to get better in a particular area, ask your employer if they’d be willing to invest in sending you to a course. If you want to get better at presentation or communication skills, practice first in front of family members who can give you honest, yet loving, feedback, and then in front of colleagues who can give you more technical tips.That said, if you do have the resources, setting aside time to invest in your career development — both in and outside of work — can be incredibly valuable when it comes to getting ahead and beating the odds.Doing this work will grow your confidence — but don’t wait until you’re perfect to put it into practice. Real learning requires trying, and sometimes failing, along the way. As ironic as it may sound, failure is one way of refining your craft. You learn everything that can go wrong, and you find solutions to do it better the next time.&nbsp;

Five tips to help you combat imposter syndrome.

career

Career

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

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Business

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Leadership & Management

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend <a dir="ltr" href="https://hbr.org/insight-center/ascend">here </a>.

Once I was in a large auditorium filled with marketing and sales professionals who were gathered to attend a training program on the fundamentals of the coffee business. I was a brand manager in a company I had just joined. During the training, someone asked, “What’s the difference between soluble coffee and roast and ground coffee?”

It was a simple question. I knew the answer. But I still refrained from raising my hand.

What if it was a trick?

What if I wound up looking stupid?

I was my first day on the job as a new recruit. “It’s probably best for someone with more experience to respond,” I thought to myself. I didn’t say anything and someone else used the opportunity to speak up.

Turns out, I had the right answer.

This wasn’t a one-off scenario. There have been so many times throughout my career when I’ve second-guessed my own abilities. You know the feeling — that nagging voice in the back of your head, clouding your mind with doubt and insecurity.

It followed me for years until the consequences of keeping quiet began to outweigh the consequences of speaking up. I finally I told myself: “You know the answers. You’re smart. You have to say something.” I came to realize that even if my answer was incorrect, I would learn something new. The benefit of raising my voice outweighed the emotional cost of my silence. I looked at the evidence and it showed me that no one in my organization had been penalized for getting something wrong. In fact, they had been rewarded for their participation.

After that, I made it a point to contribute. I began to share my point of view, whether or not it differed from the majority perspective. People began to notice. They said I had “leadership potential.”

Years later, I joined the senior leadership team of a multinational organization. I was working out of Ghana and heading a business unit for their Central and West African region. At the age of 36, I was the youngest and first African woman to have held that role. I was also the first women on an otherwise all-male team. Exhilarating as it was, stepping into my new position meant that a number of employees — both men and women — looked up to me as a source of inspiration for what I had achieved and the odds I beat.

I was already nervous to take on a more senior role but those feelings were compounded by another truth: I was representing a group of people whose own careers may be helped or hindered by my success or failure.

My imposter syndrome snuck back in. “Am I the right person for this job?” I wondered. So I reminded myself that I was there because I was capable. I had to continue doing what I had done throughout my career: focus on the job, give it 100%, and deliver results. Nothing more and nothing less.

If you’ve recently been promoted or found the job of your dreams, but find yourself overtaken by imposter syndrome, I understand. There is probably a myriad of questions going through your head:

<ul><li>How did I get here? </li><li>Am I really good enough to be doing this? </li><li>Can I handle these responsibilities? </li><li>Will I make a fool of myself? </li><li>Will my former colleagues think of me as undeserving of my promotion?   </li> </ul>

Based on my own experiences, here are five pieces of advice that can help you dial down the self-criticism and grow in your career, while remaining true to yourself.

Acknowledge that it’s normal to feel nervous.

Imposter syndrome is particularly common when you’re new, or a minority among a group of people that look, behave, or have very different experiences than you. Know that it’s normal to feel uncomfortable. Remember that you won’t be in the minority of newcomers forever. Someone else will be hired or promoted at one point or another and join the ranks. Suddenly, you’ll be one of the old hands, and a part of your role will be to help the newbie settle in.

In the meantime, a certain level of nervousness and doubt is good. It counterbalances complacency and can push you to work harder. When I shift my perspective in this way, it helps me get out of my own mind and look ahead. Acknowledging your feelings, but also understanding that they are common, has a way of calming your senses by reducing the angst and reminding you to focus on your goal.

Here’s one thing I’ve learned: The best people can fail, and the most unlikely people can succeed. The unlikely ones are those who fall and get up and try again and again until they finally reach their goal.

Push your fear aside and focus your nervous energy on learning and adding value to your new role. Take it one day at a time. When you identify an area of weakness, own it. Think of it as an opportunity to grow. This is how the best leaders gain confidence.

I have always taken personal growth seriously, but I rarely wait around for my organization to send me to workshops or training programs. Most times, the best lessons can be learned at home or on the job.

I read a lot about my areas of business, and spend time studying case studies relevant to my work. If you feel you don’t have enough information on your own industry, I’d suggest you do the same and read up. If you feel you need to get better in a particular area, ask your employer if they’d be willing to invest in sending you to a course. If you want to get better at presentation or communication skills, practice first in front of family members who can give you honest, yet loving, feedback, and then in front of colleagues who can give you more technical tips.

That said, if you do have the resources, setting aside time to invest in your career development — both in and outside of work — can be incredibly valuable when it comes to getting ahead and beating the odds.

Doing this work will grow your confidence — but don’t wait until you’re perfect to put it into practice. Real learning requires trying, and sometimes failing, along the way. As ironic as it may sound, failure is one way of refining your craft. You learn everything that can go wrong, and you find solutions to do it better the next time.

Do You Ever Second Guess Yourself?

Second-Guessing Left Unchecked

The Constant Nagging Feeling Of Doubt

Stopping The Second-Guessing

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