Opinions expressed by businesskinda.com contributors are their own.
Why do some people perform even if they are not qualified, while other qualified people do not succeed? The answer to this question may come down to imposter syndrome.
There are plenty of stories about the incredible achievements of people in the world today. People get jobs that require top expertise, despite not having the necessary qualifications. Scammers get top investments in mere seconds from presentations or unearned people get ahead in life when others are more qualified than them. Success often comes with confidence in communication and when people see themselves as successful and worthy.
On the other hand, deserving entrepreneurs and professionals do not get the opportunities they deserve because they lack confidence in themselves. They doubt what they are doing and suffer from imposter syndrome. People with imposter syndrome ask questions like:
- “Am I good enough?”
- “Is the product good enough?”
- “Am I knowledgeable enough?”
- “Do I deserve this chance?”
- “Can I charge this rate?”
These and other self-doubts plague their perception of themselves and affect performance and success. People who suffer from imposter syndrome earn less than they earn. Or worse, they shy away from opportunities because they don’t think they’re worth it.
Related: Mindset Techniques That Will Help You Overcome Impostor Syndrome
Contents
See yourself as a professional and successful person
To be successful, a person must see themselves as successful. To be professionally motivated, one must see oneself as a professional. How a person sees himself determines how he acts and performs.
If you don’t see yourself as successful, you don’t have the confidence to perform well. You start doubting everything you do. You will carry yourself with an air of doubt that will only slow you down. This is reflected in your communication with employees, customers, prospects and future investors.
When you see yourself as successful, professional or expert, you can position yourself as one person. You can communicate your value with confidence. If you believe in your product, service or idea, you can talk about it and sell it with conviction.
Most people will not understand a person’s capabilities or the potential of an idea. But the signals they get through communication guide their response.
Immerse yourself in an environment that cultivates your self-esteem
How you see yourself has a lot to do with the information you give yourself. Many entrepreneurs were considered arrogant, including Steve Jobs. Entrepreneurs need the confidence to conquer the uncharted territories that come with entrepreneurship. Sometimes the simple act of appearing confident leads to success for your business or brand.
If your environment takes away that trust, you are setting yourself up for failure. What goes in usually comes out. If you internalize enthusiasm and professionalism, you radiate it. Conversely, if you internalize negativity, you will exhibit self-doubt, lack of confidence, and low self-esteem. All these things will affect your success and motivation.
Related: The 4 Types of People to Surround Yourself With for Success
Develop these three habits to avoid impostor syndrome
Following these three points is essential to achieve the success you deserve and to be motivated to follow your dreams.
Dress for success
Many business owners overlook how you look and what you wear, especially those who work from home or don’t have a regular office routine. You might think you can wear anything you want because no one sees you. Dressing well is essential for internal motivation. When you work from home and at your own pace, your clothes and daily self-care routine are more important than if you have an office job, because your motivation depends on it.
Dressing like a pro will help you see yourself as a pro. Taking good care of yourself and looking good can help you see yourself as valuable as appearance affects self-confidence. On the other hand, if you dress unprofessionally, whether you have a job or not, you will start to see yourself as unprofessional and hurt motivation and future performance.
Avoid negativity and toxic environments
Whether they come from online sources or in your relationships, negative feedback will affect your self-esteem. Negativity eats away at a person’s self-confidence and self-esteem and gradually adds to one’s abilities. If you don’t consider yourself worthy, you won’t have the motivation to take the opportunities you deserve.
Examples of negativity are doubts from family members, quarrels and belittling attitudes from acquaintances. This negativity can be aimed at you or your ideas, making you seem incompetent and thereby reducing motivation.
Surround yourself with other professionals, experts and successful individuals
By regularly communicating with other professionals you can see yourself as a professional. This is especially effective in professional environments such as professional events. The positive sensory experience fills you with energy and influences your drive and motivation. On the other hand, when you isolate yourself from professional institutions, you start to see yourself as a layman. This can put a person on a negative path.
Related: 10 Easy Ways to Build a Collaborative, Successful Work Environment
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.