Have you ever looked at your accomplishments and thought, “I am just lucky.”? Well, you are not alone. So has Rachel Gilmore, a 5th year PhD Student, and countless other people who experience “Imposter Syndrome.” When asked about it, Rachel felt, “I am lucky to know the questions that are on tests, lucky to have completed all the things I did in undergrad, lucky to have been accepted to grad school, lucky that no one has realized I’m a fraud yet.” However, she also said, “Reflecting on it, luck is certainly a factor, but I know I have put in a lot of work for my achievements. I think when we are surrounded by people doing the same thing we are – working towards a PhD, doing cutting edge research, etc. – it is so easy to compare ourselves and make ourselves feel invalidated. Definitely a habit that requires constant work and positive self talk.”
Dr. Brittany Knight, a highly accomplished scientist who is currently the Director of Operations for the United States Association for the Study of Pain and the Regional Director for the Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, experiences Imposter Syndrome as well. She said, “I struggled with imposter syndrome when I transitioned to my postdoc. After completing my training, I still felt like I had so much to learn, and of course, we all do, but having completed my graduate training, I felt like there were many more expectations on my shoulders. I have since left and moved to a position with a national organization. One of the ways I combat imposter syndrome is to be as best prepared as possible for new tasks, knowing full well that I will make mistakes and have to learn. That is the bargain you make when you are a learner. It’s how we overcome and build new things by trying and failing. I try to recall everything I have learned, mastered, and then taught others to give myself some perspective. Now, I must combat imposter syndrome in new ways in my life and even my hobbies, but still, I try to call out that feeling for what it is and try to remember that I have value and I can accomplish what I set my eyes on because of everything I have achieved thus far. Those achievements are real. And they will continue as long as I keep trying to accomplish my goals.”
No matter what stage you are at in your career, or how many accomplishments you have, you are not immune to Imposter Syndrome and you are certainly not alone. If you are looking to overcome Imposter Syndrome, register here for our upcoming event with Tatyana Gao, a motivational speaker and author of Conscious Leadership Method.
Beyond the PhD 