Imposter syndrome. Why do we not believe in our successes and are afraid of exposure?

Lately I’ve often encountered impostor syndrome among clients. What it is?

This is a person’s internal, stable feeling that he is not worthy of everything that he has.

Most often this concerns the professional sphere: I achieved my high position or well-paid job, not thanks to my own knowledge and work, but by a happy coincidence.

And they’re about to figure me out. Everyone will understand that in fact I am a nobody professionally.

Or here’s another thing: I’m a bad mother. So what if my children are well-groomed, study well, study in different sections and feel quite happy? This is not my merit, I was just lucky with my children. And I really am a terrible mother. Soon the children will understand this.

And no matter how much the environment, colleagues, family, assure, no matter how many reliable facts there are in favor of the fact that a person is successful, he still lives in a constant state of fear. Bordering on a feeling of shame: they are about to find out about me.

Where does this feeling come from? As a rule, from childhood. These are the consequences of narcissistic injury, which is most often unknowingly inflicted on a child by parents. Usually it consists of a sharp loss of importance, demotion in status or humiliation, as well as…