Effective Strategies to Conquer Impostor Syndrome on an EMBA Journey
- forsal
- Sep 27, 2023
- 3 min read
Beginning an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) journey can be an important step toward furthering both your professional and personal development, but can also bring on impostor syndrome, which is defined as feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt despite external evidence of competence and success. Impostor syndrome tends to affect high achievers pursuing advanced degrees like an EMBA; here's how you can recognize and overcome impostor syndrome on your journey.
Acknowledging Impostor Syndrome
Impostor Syndrome typically manifests itself through:
1. Self-Doubt: You might question your abilities and feel as though they don't belong in the program despite having qualified.
2. Attributing Success to Luck: It may be easy to think your past successes were due more to luck or external influences than your efforts and skills.
3. Fear of Exposure: One can often fear being exposed as a fraud; that someone will realize your incompetence at some point and expose you.
4. Perfectionism: Setting unreasonably high standards for yourself may cause you to strive for perfection, leaving you feeling like an inferior when you fall short of this goal.
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Strategies to Overcome Impostor Syndrome
1. Acknowledge Your Feelings: The first step toward combating impostor syndrome is acknowledging and accepting your feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. Understand that such feelings are normal, even for high achievers who feel inauthentic at times.
2. Communicate: To cope with feelings of insecurity and gain perspective, talk with trusted friends, mentors or therapists. By sharing feelings it may help provide support and make clear why these insecurities exist for so many others as well.
3. Acknowledging Accomplishments: Keep an account of all of your achievements and triumphs to help remind yourself of all that you can accomplish. Whenever doubt creeps in, review this list to remind yourself that you have incredible skills.
4. Alter Your Self-Talk: Avoid negative self-talk by replacing it with positive affirmations. Instead of telling yourself "I'm not good enough", tell yourself instead "I possess all of the skills and knowledge required for success".
5. Establish Realistic Goals: Recognizing that perfection is unachievable, set realistic goals with progress as your primary focus instead of striving for perfectionism.
6. Seek Assistance: EMBA programs offer students many support systems, including academic advisors, career counsellors and peer networks. Do not hesitate to seek guidance and assistance whenever needed.
7. Acknowledging Failure: Failure is part of life; rather than fear it, embrace it as a chance for growth and learning.
8. Recognize That Impostor Syndrome Is Just an Experience: Know that impostor syndrome is just an emotional response; not an indication of actual competence. An EMBA program accepts you based on your qualifications and potential, not vice versa.
9. Shift Your Focus from Comparison to Learning: Reorient yourself away from comparison, toward continuous growth and improvement. Remember that you are here in order to increase knowledge and acquire skills.
10. Acknowledge and Celebrate Small Wins: Don't wait until major accomplishments to mark as victories; celebrate small triumphs along the way as well. Doing this will strengthen confidence levels.
Impostor syndrome is an all too familiar struggle that affects nearly everyone, regardless of achievements. By recognising and devising strategies to overcome it, you can enjoy a successful EMBA experience with confidence and a sense of belonging. Remember why you were selected for this program; with practice you have every chance of excelling and making an impressionful mark in your field.
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