Who, me?

In an industry such as aesthetics, where education, skill, and sheer hard work are commonplace, it may seem surprising that ‘imposter syndrome’ is so common. Experts stand on stage presenting new scientific developments to an eager audience while Key Opinion Leaders fly around the world sharing their knowledge and expertise with their peers. We applaud at annual awards ceremonies, celebrating the best in our industry and shower them with the recognition they deserve. So why does it appear that so many of us, KOLs and award-winners included, are suffering from imposter syndrome, and how can we overcome it?

WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Imposter syndrome is a term used to describe the belief that you got where you are either because of sheer luck, or by being in the right place at the right time. The person does not believe the success they achieved is deserved and fears they will be ‘caught out’ or exposed as a fraud. Positive feedback can often be interpreted as disingenuous or fake, and they fail to acknowledge that hard work and expertise played any part in their achievements. Sound familiar? Probably, as there will be times in our lives when we all feel inadequate or undeserving of our achievements, but that is not to be confused with the constant presence of negative and debilitating thoughts that are commonplace for imposter syndrome sufferers. If you are unable to accept your success is down to your own hard work, talent and ability, then you may be suffering from imposter syndrome.

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?

There are a number of theories as to why imposter syndrome affects some people and not others. Although imposter syndrome can strike at any level, high achievers tend to be more susceptible to feeling this way. They often struggle with how others see them and worry that they aren’t as competent as people may think. They put themselves under huge pressure to deliver and worry that they may fail to meet expectations as they strive for perfectionism. These behaviours may stem from childhood when there was pressure to achieve, or even a competitive environment at school or university. Pushing to achieve perfection is doomed to fail and can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

Following a survey in 2020 by KPMG, one of the world’s largest audit and accounting firms, 75% of executive women surveyed said that they had experienced imposter syndrome at some point during their career, particularly around key career milestones, such as a promotion or career change. In aesthetics, this could be triggered by taking on a KOL role, opening a clinic, publishing a clinical paper, or taking on more responsibility. It could even be brought about by being nominated for and/or winning an award, and this was verbalised by many of the finalists in this year’s Aesthetic Medicine Awards.

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME?

Despite the reality to overcome the self-doubt you feel. You put too much pressure on yourself, working longer hours and even taking the blame for situations or mistakes you aren’t responsible for. The stress and anxiety this induces can spoil any enjoyment or feelings of happiness because you genuinely believe you don’t deserve it. These negative feelings of self-doubt or unworthiness may prevent you from stepping up for suitable opportunities or roles, because you wrongly believe you are incapable of performing to the expected standards. You stop enjoying your career, don’t put yourself forward for awards, miss out on great opportunities, and never truly enjoy the fruits of your labour.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MITIGATE THESE FEELINGS?

First, learn to recognise if and when you have these feelings, then acknowledge them for what they are, simply emotional reactions to perceived feelings of inadequacy. Make a note of what triggers them so you can see if there’s a common pattern. Is it when you speak to a particular person you measure yourself against, or perhaps an offthe-cuff comment someone made to you? Maybe it’s a certain type of activity you are called to do that makes you feel anxious in some way. Sometimes, if you are stepping up into a role that is pushing the boundaries and there are no role models or protocols to guide you, it can feel overwhelming, leading to feelings of self-doubt.

Bear in mind it’s not just stressful situations that can cause us to feel like we are an imposter. Success can cause negative thoughts and feelings, too. Have you achieved something far more quickly than expected and worried that you’ve missed something out or have cheated in some way? Perhaps you’ve been nominated for an award you don’t feel worthy of because the people you’re up against are household industry names, and you’re not. Once you know the type of situations that cause these feelings of inadequacy to rise to the surface, address them objectively. Accept them for what they are; unjustified negative reactions to career progression, recognition, success and hard work. Look at your achievements as if they belong to another person and write down the ways in which ‘that person’ has worked to deserve their success. Then take a moment to acknowledge your own hard work and progress.

Surround yourself with supportive people in your life, as it can feel lonely at the top. Whether within the aesthetics industry or externally, you must have a trusted inner circle that can remind you of why you deserve the success you’ve achieved. You need to talk to people you respect and trust and share your feelings with them. Sometimes the act of saying things aloud to another person ‘breaks the spell’ and makes you feel more objective about things. Then wave goodbye to anyone who causes the feelings of inferiority or inadequacy to grow.

Step away from perfectionism. It can be hard to break the habit of always wanting to be the best, especially if it’s a lifelong trait. However, in some situations, ‘good enough’ is indeed good enough. There’s no need to over-excel and push yourself on each and every project. Choose the important areas to focus on and allow yourself to work at a high level rather than strive to reach an impossibly perfect one. Practice taking a step back from perfectionism, completing less ‘important’ tasks first until you feel comfortable, before progressing to more stressful projects that set off your imposter syndrome.

Remember that the only person setting impossibly high standards is you. As much as we all like to deliver a job well done, accept that mistakes are sometimes made, which doesn’t mean we are any less capable.

Finally, look objectively at your skillset and experience, or ask someone you trust to work on this with you. Identify the areas of expertise, level of education and experience relevant to the role you have or the accolades you have received and take a moment to celebrate your hard work and success. You may find these negative feelings of imposter syndrome abate over time.

MOVING FORWARD

It’s OK to have moments of doubt and feelings of uncertainty, especially when we are moving out of our comfort zone and pushing towards our next goal. Think of these thoughts and emotions as growing pains, but do not let them hold you back or make you think that you are less worthy than others. Acknowledge your feelings, step back and focus on what makes you good at what you do. Focus on the achievements, the hard work and discipline, the skill and talent and the ambition and then take that next step forwards into a future where you enjoy the fruits of your labour.

THE AESTHETIC CONSULTANT®

Having worked for many leading distributers in aesthetics, Vanessa Bird uses over 15 years of industry experience, knowledge and connections as the Aesthetic Consultant to understand the specific challenges faced by many successful, high-profile individuals and clinics as she helps them to succeed in the elite ‘top tier’. Visit theaestheticconsultant.co.uk or email aestheticconsultant@icloud.com