Book review: The Imposter Cure

I recently read The Imposter Cure by Dr Jessamy Hibberd.

Why did I pick this up?

Imposter Syndrome is insidious and so many of us deal with it on a daily basis. While I feel like I usually have an acceptable grip on it, sometimes it creeps up and tackles me – more insights on how to handle that are always welcome. I also work with and support many people who struggle with Imposter Syndrome – could I learn something to help them?

What did I learn from it?

I thought that Imposter Syndrome is a fact of life – and realized that in some ways, I was actually a little bit proud of it! After all, you shouldn’t let your head get too big, you should stay humble – right? It reminds me a little bit of the Nordic Law of Jante, where you aren’t allowed to think you are anything special. How dare you stand out?

And yet – there’s the thought that no matter how much you do, it’s never enough. At worst, it’s simply trying harder because that’s the expectation, rather than thinking about the best/most efficient way forward. And if you don’t try hard enough, you’re letting people down – so try even harder!

What if someone notices that I’m a fraud?

Even now, reading through what I’ve just written and thinking about how I’d feel if someone said this to me about themselves – that’s such a heavy load to carry.

Your theory is that you are imposter.

…

My theory is that you worry you’re an imposter and that the strategies you’re using prevent you from seeing the truth.

One of my biggest takeaways: choose compassion. That sounds easy, and it’s not.

This book wasn’t an easy read – from reviewing just how far Imposter Syndrome affects us in general, to how much it affects me. It’s challenging to look at how you see yourself and actively challenge your own thoughts.