So much has been said and written on “imposter syndrome” that I could spend at least twenty blog posts exploring this topic alone.
The only thing I want to focus on here is how this phenomenon, an experience shared by over 80% of high achieving women, can result in excess work and longer hours.
Imposter syndrome, or imposter phenomenon, as it was originally described, is the descriptive term for feeling like a fraud, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary.
Psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes developed the concept, originally termed “imposter phenomenon,” in their 1978 founding study, which focused on high-achieving women. They found that “despite outstanding academic and professional accomplishments, women who experience the imposter phenomenon persist in believing that they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise.”
Sound familiar?
I have yet to meet a high achieving, successful, bright woman who hasn’t experienced this feeling at some point in her career, often daily.
While this feeling can arise in any situation, here is how I’ve seen it play out in the throes of a busy clinic day or inpatient call.
You see a patient and sit down to write your note.
You start replaying the details of the visit in your head and questioning the way you handled it or the advice you gave.
You start questioning your diagnosis or the work up that needs to be done.
Did I come to the right conclusion?
Did I forget any important lab or test to order?
Darn, I should have done that one additional part of the exam.
Did I miss something important?
Shoot, I should have asked them this additional question. Maybe I should call them back.
Did I answer the patient’s question correctly? I’m not sure I did.
Ugh, I wasn’t familiar with that research paper or new drug or news report the patient printed out and showed me looking for my opinion.
I must be an idiot. I need to read more. I’m not keeping up enough with my field. I need to pull out that stack of journals gathering dust and read them this weekend.
My (Insert: chair, program director, anyone who trained me, colleague, etc) would have known exactly what the patient was talking about and exactly what to do.
They would have done a better exam or known exactly what the patient has or known exactly which genetic test to order. Now I have to go read about all of this and look this up.
I’ll never be as good as them.
Sound familiar?
Well guess what?
It’s all a big LIE and this lie is wasting your precious time!
The clock has been ticking. The next patient is in the room waiting for you and YOU ARE STILL STUCK IN YOUR HEAD!
Your mind drama has now cost you precious time that could have been spent writing your note and closing your chart.
Mindful Doc Mom
Your mind drama has now cost you precious time could have been spent writing your note and closing your chart. Now that time will be spent at home, at night or on the weekend, away from your family and all that worry and anxiety will spill out to them.
Hear me loud and clear as I shout this through the screen:
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. YOU JUST DONT REALIZE HOW BRILLIANT YOU ACTUALLY ARE.
Stop it right now.
Stop believing the lie.
Stop listening to the voices out in the world, in medicine, in your own institution, and in your own head pushing you down and keeping you small.
Stop questioning your worth.
Stop questioning your abilities.
Stop comparing and despairing.
You are a brilliant light who is here to shine. Whatever forces are dulling that sparkle, it’s time to destroy them now.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?
Marianne Williamson
Who are you not to be?!?
Join me in my private 1:1 coaching program to stop fearing your own brilliance and shining brighter than you ever imagined.
