Imposter Syndrome

SPCH 230: Business & Professional Speaking

I. Slide 1: Growing Up
a. I have an older sister, who out of all the kids in my family, got the most of the italian
genes, so she is really fiery. Like must sister duos, we know how to push each other’s
buttons like no one else does.
b. She is my best friend, but my biggest competitor and our relationship is a complicated
one. We have very different personalities and most of our young lives was spent
competing with each other. I was constantly referred to as “Gabby’s sister”
throughout my elementary and middle school years, and throughout high school, I
would get stares from people in the grocery store or just around town trying to decide
if I was gabby.
c. She has been a consistent role model in my life. It was through this competition that
pushed me consistently out of my comfort zone. We went to different high schools,
but she was always leading the way – showing me how to work hard, and how to
have fun while doing it.
d. While my sister challenged me at home, my high school challenged me academically.
II. Slide 2: HB Experience
a. I went to an all-girls college prep school that has a “fascination with excellence” as
stated in the school’s vision statement. I have always been a curious and diligent
person, but this environment took everything I knew, stripped it down, and rebuilt it
from a whole new perspective. It demanded excellence in every aspect of your
education – academically, creatively, athletically – in an attempt to prepare you for
the real world.
b. This is my high school graduation photo, and these are the girls that went to SEC
Universities.
c. At HB you were rewarded for perfection and overachievement, and in a way, your
college decision reflected that.
d. Being constantly surrounded by teachers that demanded success and peers that were
so easily pushed to the extremes on a daily basis led me to feel overwhelmed,
underprepared, and unable to achieve – specifically in the college process. It drained
my confidence, made me feel inadequate, and had me running in circles trying to
keep the same level of excellence as my peers.
III. Slide 3: Imposter Cycle
a. I found myself trapped in the “imposter syndrome cycle,” a positive reinforcement
loop created when one begins to identify over-preparedness with success.
b. Coming to school at South Carolina was like gasping for fresh air. I had escaped the
pressure cooker of a high school and became surrounded by people who were driven
by things much deeper than academic validation.
c. My dedication to academics transferred to UofSC as well, but the payoff was
extremely different. I started seeing direct results and achievements from my actions,
and it was empowering yet confusing. I aced weed out classes and attributed it to my
professor. I received my first internship and told myself it was the luck of the draw.
 d. It wasn’t until my junior year of college that I identified myself with imposter
syndrome. Defined by Oxford languages, Imposter Syndrome is the persistent
inability to believe that one’s success has been legitimately achieved.
e. While it is not officially in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental
disorders – used by healthcare professionals in the US), it is a feeling widely
recognized by psychologists and other professionals. It can present itself as self-
doubt, focusing on tasks and goal setting, avoiding taking on more responsibilities, or
a change in work performance. It can affect athletes, professionals, and even C-suite
executives – but mainly affects women and high- achieving individuals. Even Albert
Einstein stated that “the exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me
very ill at ease.”
IV. Slide 4: Types of Imposters
a. Imposter syndrome has been broken down into 5 categories: each reflecting the
values and what those individuals perceive as competency and success.
b. The Natural Genius – can pick up new skills with no effort, believe they have to
understand new material very quickly, set really high goals.
c. The Perfectionist – focuses on how they do things and demand perfection in every
aspect, when they don’t achieve perfection, they criticize themselves. They might
avoid trying new things with the fear that they cannot accomplish it perfectly.
d. The Soloist – think they can handle everything individually and if they cannot
achieve success individually, they deem themselves unworthy. Self-worth stems from
productivity and they reject offers for help.
e. The Superhero – link competence to their ability to succeed in every role they hold,
they feel they must push themselves to the limit.
f. The Expert – has to learn everything there is to know about a topic before considering
their work a success, might spend too much time pursuing their quest for more
knowledge and will devote more time to their primary task, they underrate their
expertise.
V. Slide 5: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
a. So, maybe now you have recognized it and experienced it in some sort or another. But
how do you overcome it? The first step to overcoming imposter syndrome is
acceptance – recognizing that just because you feel out of place, does not mean you
are.
b. However, the most effective way to overcome imposter syndrome revolves around
mindfulness and self-reflection. By questioning and reframing your thoughts, you can
gain a new sense of perspective and in turn, reframe your view on your achievements.
c. Now, as a senior in college and active LinkedIn user, I see many of these accepting
new job offers at investment banking firms in New York City; and while I am
nowhere near investment banking in New York City, I am able to accept and validate
my achievements and move past the fact that while I am on a different career path, it
can be just as impactful.
 Sources

Frothingham, Mia Belle. “You're Not a Fraud. Here's How to Recognize and Overcome Imposter
Syndrome.” Imposter Syndrome: Definition, Symptoms, Types, and Coping,
https://www.simplypsychology.org.

Nicole. “Six Steps to Break the Imposter Syndrome Cycle - TDI.” The Data Incubator, 2 Mar.
2022, https://www.thedataincubator.com.