Power Bite: 4 Steps to Beat Imposter Syndrome in a New Role

You’ve started a new role. To an outsider, you’re successful – and yet, you don’t feel it. Instead of feeling pride and joy, you feel Imposter Syndrome creeping up, like there’s been a terrible mistake and you don’t actually belong.

Firstly, know that you’re not alone. This syndrome plagues even the most accomplished individuals – from award-winning actress Meryl Streep to renowned physicist Albert Einstein. It afflicts people of all genders. It often surfaces in moments of change, in new situations you feel you don’t have control over. Here are four steps you can take to mitigate feelings of self-doubt when they come up.

Breathe

Even if you’re skeptical of this step, give it a go – it won’t take more than a minute. Stacy McCarthy, former Regional Director APAC at The Boeing Company, acknowledges that her advice to focus on breathing might seem out of place in the context of work.

But the fact is: you’re in fear mode when Imposter Syndrome takes hold. Give yourself the chance to get out of this before working on any solution. You’d be amazed what a difference taking 3 to 10 deep breaths can make.