How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome

Even if you haven’t heard of the term imposter syndrome before chances are you have experienced it at one point or another. Imposter syndrome hits when you doubt your abilities. It’s the idea of feeling like a fraud and that you don’t really deserve your job or your accomplishments. You may begin to think your achievements are more down to luck rather than your hard work and skills. It’s essentially a major lack of self-confidence and self-belief.

Imposter Syndrome is something anyone in a wide variety of industries can be faced with. In creative industries it can be especially hard to avoid as our work is constantly being analyzed, judged and compared. I’m currently deep into job hunting and a few “you’re not the right fit” emails have just landed. I’m trying to stay positive and reflect that in those instances maybe it was not the right position for me and it’s not because my portfolio sucks! But we all have our bad days, on my bad days I feel less confidant and question are my 7 years of design work I worked so hard on actually any good?!

Credit: errantscience.com

Now I’m not the first person to write a blog about imposter syndrome and I won’t be the last but after facing with it myself in recent times I wanted to share how I deal with it and pick my confidence back up…

RECOGNISE THE FEELING AND FACE IT

Note what you are feeling, only then can you address it. Try to diagnose why you are particularly feeling this way at this time.

• Are you like me, currently job hunting and got that “not the right fit” email? Take note that maybe it wasn’t the right fit for me, should I be looking at more specific roles or maybe I should try presenting myself differently.

• Maybe you’re in a new role and feeling out of dept. Recognize that in this circumstance it’s natural to feel this way, it’s not a reflection on your capabilities but more an opportunity to learn, grow and become great in that role.

• Did you get client feedback that seemed far more negative than positive? Feedback is essential in design, don’t see it solely as criticism, it’s not meant to be a direct hit at your profession. Use feedback for what it is and focus on the job at hand and less on your ego. Once you stay focused and deliver from the feedback the likelihood is that your client will be happy with the final result and will be singing your praises in the end.
  
  

TAKE THE COMPLIMENT

You might think being humble is being polite since the complete opposite is to be arrogant but it’s really not! When someone compliments your work and you react with a blasé “oh it’s alright” or say thanks but tell yourself they don’t really mean it… if you keep shutting down genuine compliments in your head you will never believe good feedback. You should not only believe compliments you’re given but remember them and keep reminding yourself of them. When a prospect employer compliments my portfolio or a client gives my a glowing testimonial I remind myself that they didn’t have to say that, they genuinely meant it - CELEBRATE IT!
 

STOP COMPARING

Of course you’ll look at other designers work, you should be, that’s how we creatives keep on top of new trends and open ourselves to inspirations. But be careful about looking at other work with envy in your eyes… “I wish my work was like that”, “they have achieved so much more than I have”, “they have thousands of social media followers”. Did you ever thing these people doubt their work too? Or it’s possible other people are looking at your work and thinking similar things. Besides you could be comparing to a designers work that has many more years of experience than you and you’re just on your journey to their level. Be inspired, work to grow and some day reach the level of designers you admire but don’t compare and bring yourself down.

In conclusion, Imposter Syndrome is a toxic way of thinking. It’s only ever going to slow you down and keep you from your goals. It’s near impossible to avoid but with some internal pep talking and positive thinking you can fight back. There’s no magic solution to get ride of it altogether but I hope what I have outlined in this post will steer you to better practices to tackle Imposter Syndrome.

Finding Confidence as a Designer

I remember when I was fresh out of college and embarking on the real world, despite my high grades, I had extremely little confidence in my design skills. I thought this feeling would soon go away with more work experience and it did but honestly it took A LOT longer than it should have.

You’ll often hear people speak of this lack of confidence in business as “Imposter Syndrome”. This way of thinking is triggered by situations like…

• Struggling with a client/project and feeling guilty, disappointed and stupid because of it.

• Seeing other designers work and being plagued by the thought “I’m nowhere good as them”.

• Not believing in your creativity or skills.

“The psychological experience of believing that one’s accomplishments came about not through genuine ability, but as a result of having been lucky, having worked harder than others, or having manipulated other people’s impressions, has been labeled the impostor phenomenon. This common pattern was first observed in highly successful female college students and professionals who, despite their accomplishments, were unable to internalize a sense of themselves as competent and talented. Attributing their successes not to their abilities but to external circumstances or to attributes unrelated to actual talent (e.g., personal charm, ability to read and meet other’s expectations), they reported feelings of being an impostor or a fake.”

(Psychotherapy Volume 30, Joe Langford, Pauline Rose Clance, Georgia State University)

Doubts will always be there and I don’t think even the most successful designers can avoid these thoughts from time to time. So today I want to urge all designers to focus on your successes and work on your confidence. In all honesty, modesty is a waste of time in business, wear your strengths and achievements proudly. Never let fear get in your way and put yourself out there so that the greatest opportunities come your way.

Over time, I've learned a few ways to deal with imposter syndrome and feel confidant in myself as a designer. Sure, my confidence is knocked from time to time, here are some ways I have learned to get myself back up:

1. Accept who you are and know you can Improve
   You are perfect just the way you are even with your imperfections. What you have to offer is unique and it is valuable! From time to time you are going to make mistakes but with some focus you can learn and grow from them.

2. Take an honest look at yourself
   Don’t go overboard bragging about yourself. True confidence is firmly planted in reality. Assess your abilities and work on your weaknesses. Speak confidently about your strengths and at the same time feel confident about how you are improving what were once your weaknesses.

3. Remember Doubt Breeds Doubt
   Don’t doubt yourself or leave the best bits out of pitches/interviews. Modesty will get you nowhere. If you are proud of what you are talking about your confidence will shine through.

4. Embrace Small Victories
   Confident people tend to challenge themselves and compete even when their efforts are just for trivial victories. Small victories feed your confidence and help motivate. Acknowledge and be proud of your successes small and large!

5. Be Assertive, Not Aggressive
   Don’t confuse aggression for confidence. When you’re insecure it can be easy for slip into aggression when you’re attempting to be assertive. Practice asserting yourself and try hard to keep your insecurities at bay.

6. Be Positive
   If you are knocked back, maybe your pitch/interview doesn’t achieve what you were hoping, don’t be discouraged. Hope for the best and keep moving on to the next opportunity with confidence.

Nobody is born confidant. Confidence is your own choice, yes it takes practice and insecurities can be difficult to overcome, believe in yourself and I guarantee you’ve got it in you!

EVERYONE should start their own business once in their life!

I truly believe EVERYONE should try run their own business at least once in their life, whether it’s something small on the side or a full time venture. It will be life changing!

Starting your own business will teach you so much about yourself, challenge you to learn and open endless opportunities.

In 2016 I started my own one-woman branding design agency, Bells and All. My mother was self-employed, her work-ethic and passion was a huge source of inspiration to me. As many graphic designers do, I had taken on the odd freelance job in the past and thought what the heck, why don’t I do this full time… well I soon discovered it wasn’t quite so straight forward. Running your own business not only requires confidence in your professional field but you also must master skills in business management, networking, marketing, looking after finances, staying productive and much much more. It was overwhelming at first but was also extremely exciting and rewarding. I thrive when I’m being challenged and I learnt an incredible amount from my rises and falls along the way. I am beyond proud to say “I did it”.

Running my own business was something I always wanted to try and I really want to encourage others to give it a try. Even if it’s to figure out that it’s not for you, it’s a journey worth taking. It completely pushes you out of your comfort zone and teaches you so much about yourself. After my experience, I gained a huge amount of knowledge and appreciation for running a business, I’m more confident in my work and in myself overall!

After making the big move from Ireland to New York it was the perfect opportunity for me to step back and decide the next move in my career. I decided to leave self-employed life behind. Reasons being that I miss the buzz of a design studio and the dynamic of working in a team. I also feel after my experience with Bells and All I have a lot more to offer to new jobs with the skills and confidence I have gained.

I was prompted to write this post because I see so many people on Facebook groups and across social media with aspirations to start their own business but who are just too scared to commit to it. At some point you’ve just got to dive in and go for it - GO ON!

“Ever tried? Ever Failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
– Samuel Beckett