Even successful professionals can put their careers at risk with a negative perception of themselves. With the daily charge, the person may find himself unable to achieve results or not even consider himself worthy of praise, acting unconsciously and boycotting his own work.
The situation is so common that it has even gained a specific classification in psychology; known as impostor syndrome, the disorder consists of not accepting or admitting one’s own achievements. A study by the Dominican University of California found that the condition affects about 70% of professionals.
The occurrence is more common in young people at the beginning of their careers and in more competitive professions, such as athletes, artists and entrepreneurs. In areas where the professional is tested and evaluated at all times, such as health and education, people who are more insecure and who internalize criticism and failures can also be affected by the problem.
1. Seek advice from trusted people
Those who boycott their own career usually do not accept praise for good performance while easily accepting criticism even from strangers. Imagining himself inferior, he develops a need to please everyone continuously, which can cause periods of anxiety and stress.
The difficulty of obtaining a real self-image can be overcome with the help of people of confidence, able to highlight the achievements and qualities and point out the flaws. The energy wasted in obtaining general approval can be used to dialogue with a better group, in which the professional can feel protected.
2. Focus on your achievements
One of the main characteristics of impostor syndrome is the habit of always looking at the bad side of things, especially when it comes to yourself. When comparing himself with others, he always observes the achievements of others to the detriment of his own achievements. This recurring behavior can paralyze the professional and destroy his work capacity.
To escape this situation, it is important to focus on the objectives. An efficient strategy is to keep track of small and large achievements; thus, whenever a difficulty or uncertainty arises about one’s own ability, the person can remember the obstacles he has overcome and find a willingness to reach the goals.
3. Keep up the pace
Because he believes that failure is inevitable or that at any moment his failures can be exposed in public, the professional can, even if unconsciously, dedicate himself less to an activity. Appointments and tasks can be postponed until the last moment, and everything is done to avoid possible evaluations or criticisms.
Procrastination can be overcome with planning. Listing demands and priorities, with the division of labor into smaller tasks and steps with possible deadlines to meet, and alternating periods of productivity with rest intervals of pre-established duration to avoid losing the pace of work can help.
As successful as they are, the professionals will inevitably have to face some moments of failure. Errors, even if undesirable, are part of the process of evolution and growth. Failures must be avoided, but they need not be feared.
Learning to deal with failure itself helps to move forward, assimilate the experience and get out of stagnation. Some even use the tactic of celebrating failure, as transforming the feeling of rejection into a perception of carrying out the activity helps to gather the courage necessary to face the next challenge.
5. Look for self-knowledge
Carrying out activities that promote self-awareness, such as meditation, yoga and physical exercises, relieves stress and anxiety. Investing in moments of leisure and actions to improve self-esteem can be useful to avoid the psychological changes that cause self-sabotage.
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