Lawyer Monthly - Women In Law Special Edition

ACCEPT PRAISE AND KNOW YOUR WORTH Don’t shy away from praise and compliments. Accept your achievements and if need be, write them down. When you try to talk yourself out of feeling confident in your role, all the proof is on paper. Knowing your worth means allowing your work to speak for itself and letting others see it too. STOP THINKING LIKE AN IMPOSTER Learn to recognise self-defeating thought patterns and replace them with more positive affirmations. The only way to stop feeling like an imposter is to stop thinking of yourself as one. DON’T SEEK PERFECTION Stop believing that if you don’t excel at every facet of your job that you’re a failure at all of it. Facing challenges and losses is a key part of growth, so recognise that you don’t have to be good at everything. KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE Imposter syndrome tends to be the domain of overachievers, while underachievers tend to internalise less when faced with failure. If you’re constantly worried about not being good enough, chances are you’re in good company – most successful people constantly over analyse themselves! TURNING IMPOSTER SYNDROME AROUND Even though so many people have experienced imposter syndrome, the good news is that it’s not a permanent condition but rather a reaction to a set of circumstances, unrealistic self-expectation and stress. Some of the most popular suggestions on ways to turn it around include the following: 1 2 3 4 Speaking from experience, Jodie Harris, Head of Content & Digital PR at MediaVision said, “ The feeling of thinking someone is going to come in and call you out on your experience, your achievements and put you in a league much lower than you are currently working at is very real. Imposter Syndrome can happen at any time in your career. “From being an intern to being in the boardroom, questioning your place at the table can be disruptive to your progress and your confidence. One piece of advice I always tell my teams and myself is that your career did not come by chance, and where you are now and where you aim to be is justified. Know your worth and have conviction with your career goals. Success isn’t a lottery ticket, it’s earnt .” UK Industries with the Highest Percentage of Self-Doubters Imposter syndrome is more prolific in some industries compared to others. The same study of over 3000 UK adults revealed industries in which employees have experienced intense feelings of self-doubt in the last 12 months. HIGHEST 87% Creative arts & design 79% Environment & Agriculture 79% Information Research & Analysis 74% Law 73% Media & Internet LOWEST 45% Leisure, Sport & Tourism 54% Property & Construction 55% Engineering & Manufacturing 55% Insurance 57% Retail WOMEN IN LAW EDITION LAWYER MONTHLY 75