Impostor Syndrome

[orangepaas]

Have you guys ever heard of Impostor Syndrome? Supposedly it mostly affects graduate students and women in academia, but we had a guest speaker in grad school who may have been the author of this website. Anyway, here are the "symptoms

Comments

[dinahmoe27]

I come from a long line of people who lack confidence in their intelligence. I think if I had pursued an academic career as I originally wanted I would totally suffer from Impostor Syndrome. I'm amazed that anyone has the self confidence not to feel that way.

I've always felt like a grown up though, even way before I was one and I've always sort of wished I knew what it felt like not to be an adult, not to feel weighed down and responsible.

This made me think of the old Saturday Night Live sketch Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley:
"Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!"

[shelbyscout]

Yes. Totally yes.

[doafy]

Odd. I totally think #s 5 and 6 regularly, but never ever 1-4. Maybe some in my first two or three years of teaching. But not anymore. And I guess #5 is more "people with money" seem more "adult" to me.

Not sure what I'm afraid of being unmasked as, but I do feel that.

I think my real work confidence started when I started to have colleagues who were younger than me and asked for my advice. That was really strange.

It goes with the territory though. I've always said there's a certain amount of arrogance that is required for teaching.

I find #4 especially infuriating, but I think it's ground into us as being "humble." If someone I care about does something awesome, I really want to know it so that I can bask in their awesomeness. It drives me up a wall when people don't toot their own horns.

Toot it, Jackie! You've got a well-adjusted child, a loving husband, and a freakin' PhD! Toot it!