Is Imposter Syndrome Stopping You From Career Growth?
Fortune favours, the brave. In a world where the gender bias is so prevalent that women are compelled to attribute their success to luck, it’s no wonder terms like imposter syndrome are on the rise.
“You’re so lucky,” is something I’ve heard a lot lately. Last time, I was wedged between two male friends at a hole-in-the-wall bar. It had been years since we’d graduated from the same university with the hope of breaking into similar industries. Since then, I’ve had a string of opportunities followed by an early promotion. This isn’t a humble brag soliloquy. Believe me; I’ve met people who can turn that bazar mix of insecurity and egotism into an art. It’s a cry for respect.
I wasn’t looking forward to comparing our career ladder stories. In fact, I was acutely aware of the fine line between stating my progress and sounding boastful. Despite my best efforts, they were baffled by my experiences and quickly dismissed my achievements. My efforts were cut-off with a cliche “right time, right place.”.
Luck has nothing
to do with it
This kind of backhanded complimented grated away at me long after the conversation had moved on.
I’m part of an industry where you can be talented, intelligent, work hard and still never progress in your career let alone make enough to live off.
For this reason, people require either knowing someone and or being incredibly lucky. Yes, we all need a bit of luck, but that alone is not enough.
LIVING WITH INTENTION
I am a firm believer that we make our lives. Luck is out of our control. It may not even exist, yet it has become a catch-all term for any women who has reached a career milestone.
Although, the difference between luck and privilege is worth noting. If you were to argue that someone’s success is purely a matter of fortune, then we as humans could attribute our entire lives to the fates. But to do so would be to oversimplify a deeply rooted gender bias which has degraded women’s self-worth in both subtle and overtly destructive ways. – ‘women are the lucky ones while men have earned their place.’
Step Aside Imposter Syndrome
So why is it that we as women are so quick to downplay our success? Jamila Rizvi the author of ‘Not Just Lucky,’ argues it’s about expectation. Society expects women to be “likable above all else.” Women have internalized this by accepting these backhanded compliments and worse, proclaiming them.
I believe, our innate desire to be liked is part of a profound urge for preservation. If we attribute everything to luck, we do not have to face the disappointment of failure, because it is out of our hands.
““Each of them knows that the glass ceiling exists, but no one has been brave enough to tell them that there’s one on every floor of the building and they’re double-glazed.”
It is painfully disheartening to discover we live in a world of blatant gender bias. If we assign these hard truths to the fates, we do not have to look the issue in the eye and tear it down.
In deflecting our actions we are not only preserving ourselves, but we are cultivating a safety net that blankets us from future conflict. Often we are the exception when reaching a career pinnacle, leaving our female colleagues behind. Imposter syndrome sets in. We don’t want to rub salt in the wound or overhype our latest position. It is a fear of being undermined or worse found out and replaced. By dismissing our hard work, we form a well-crafted defence mechanism to manage future expectation.
Make Way For Validation
However, in creating watered-down versions of our success, we are undermining our self-worth. More importantly, perpetuating this systemic issue of internalized inferiority. By extension, limiting future opportunities for women.
We are stifling our stories and warping our struggles to fit into a cookie-cutter mould that never fit.
Far more prevalent than luck is our attitude. Bravery and self-worth are fundamental in attempting the first step of the career ladder. Smashing through glass ceilings at each level until we reach a career breakthrough. Let’s start making and taking opportunities. Not waiting for them as a validation of our worth. Only then can we ascend our self-perpetuating cycle of inferiority and celebrate our success.
Success didn’t randomly, land in my lap, I planted seeds of growth then worked overtime to prove my worth.
Luck wasn’t by my side when I spent days perfecting my resume. It wasn’t there while I juggled multiple jobs to cover my unpaid internship. Nor when I went months on end barely scraping by in hopes that a lead would come through. Relentless hard work, dedication, and fortitude enables me to build a fulfilling career from the ground up. Built it, in the most laborious sense. Had I relied on luck to augment my vocation, it would’ve had the misfortune of falling apart years ago.
The next time someone says you’re lucky, tell them you’ve earned it. If not for your sake, then for every woman who refuses to let someone else hands determine their fate.
When did you experience imposter syndrome? How do you overcome it?
Artwork By Whitney LeeBell
