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Inc.: Science says don’t try to overcome imposter syndrome: How embracing a self-perceived inadequacy can make your life better, starting today

25 Dec 2024
Most experts say you should work to overcome imposter syndrome. Research says they’re wrong.

Originally found at Inc.

Search the keywords “imposter syndrome“–feeling you’re inadequate and mediocre, despite evidence that shows you’re skilled, accomplished, or talented –and most of the results focus on how to cope with the problem. How to deal with imposter syndrome. How to manage it. How to overcome it.

Makes sense, especially since a study reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine estimates that more than 80 percent of adults experience imposter syndrome at some point of their lives.

...When Imposter Syndrome Is Helpful, Not Hurtful

According to a study published in Academy of Management Journal, when people experience imposter syndrome–feeling that people believe you’re smarter, more skilled, more experienced, or more “something” than you think you are, and will soon figure it out–they instinctively try to shift attention to the people around them.


Continue reading the original article at Inc.

Read the original research in Academy of Management Journal.

Read the Academy of Management Insights summary.

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