LSW #10 Self doubt, imposter syndrome and peak performance
Doubt comes with the territory
In my article No Need to Overcome Self Doubt I examine self-doubt and imposter syndrome from the context of leadership. They are more common than you think amongst high performers. In fact it is more likely to be present if you are actually one.
So how do we go about it and what can we do?
You will find tons of articles online around "managing" and even "eliminating" self-doubt. But I think this approach is counter-productive.
This makes self doubt as a signal rather than just noise. Using the absence of self doubt as a criteria is often not the best approach.
Leadership in any domain requires constantly pushing against your perceived limits. Self-doubt is ever present. The good news is that almost everyone including the so-called experts are going through the same struggles.
Feeding vs starving doubt
One aspect of anxiety and self-doubt that does not get as much press is that it is ever present and cannot necessarily be eliminated. Perhaps there is not much money to be made in telling people that it is not going away.
The difference between amateurs and professionals is whether they treat it as an impediment.
There's an old American Indian Cherokee fable that highlights this aspect.
An old Cherokee chief is teaching his grandson about life:
‘‘A fight is going on inside me,’’ he said to the boy.
‘‘It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed,arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego."
‘‘The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."
‘‘This same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.’’
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, ‘‘Which wolf will win?’’
The old chief simply replied, ‘‘The one you feed.’’
Cliched and cheesy? Maybe. But very much true.
Are we going to feed the wolf of self doubt or are we going to operate in spite of?
Reflection Questions
What are we not trying because of self doubt?
In what areas do we have more self doubt than others?
Are we using the absence of self doubt as a decision making criteria?
How can we change that?
What actions can we take inspite of it?
Leader’s Library
The Dunning-Kruger effect and Impostor Syndrome are two well-researched and proven concepts in social psychology. I have all my clients familiarize themselves with these two.
One happens in the early parts of our journey and the second happens in the later stages. Both are insidious and it's worth being aware of them.
Awareness is half the game when trying to inculcate new habit patterns of thinking.
That's it for this edition. Have a great week!
– Sheril Mathews