Do You Feel Like A Fraud?

A Dealing with self-doubt is an everyday struggle for a surprising number of people. It’s that little voice that says, ‘You just got lucky.’ ‘They made a mistake; they’re going to figure you out.’ ‘You don’t have what it takes and it’s just a matter of time before you fail.’ Welcome to the Imposter Syndrome club – at the very least, you’re in good company!

- Charis Torrance

World-renowned poet, writer and activist Maya Angelou once said, ‘I have written 11 books, but each time I think, “Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”’ Albert Einstein had the same nagging feeling; he described himself as an ‘involuntary swindler’ and felt that his work didn’t merit the recognition it had received.

Not many people can claim to share the talents of Angelou or Einstein, but feeling like you don’t deserve recognition for your accomplishments is all too common.

Quick personal story: when FAIRLADY first appointed me, I was pretty sure they’d made some kind of mistake. I was half-expecting to get a call to let me know they’d meant to give the position to someone else – someone more talented and accomplished. And when that didn’t happen, I was sure that by my first six-month review, they’d realise they’d made a terrible mistake. I wish I could say that the feeling has gone away, but I still have that nagging voice in my head every time I submit a story.

What is imposter syndrome?