Athlete Imposter Phenomenon

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Imposter Phenomenon (also sometimes called Imposter Syndrome) is basically when a person feels like a fraud and then uses that to hold themselves back or beat themselves up. Athletes may struggle with this in or out of his or her sport in a variety of different ways.

In their sport, the athlete may feel like they aren’t really good enough to be on the team, have a place in the starting line up, take the last shot of the game, etc. Additionally, if they do achieve success, they brush it off as a stroke of luck.

“The Impostor Syndrome is the underlying feeling that you are not as smart, skilled, or talented as people think you are. It’s a dread that people will find out you are faking it. These are athletes that are more interested in not looking bad than winning.”

– John Graden

Athletes have multiple responsibilities, however, that extend outside of their sport. And some may struggle with that because their primary focus has always been on their career and development as an athlete. For some, it can be hard to accept that they are good at other things or that opportunities arise because of who they are as a person, not just as an athlete.

With Imposter Syndrome, there’s also a level of fear that people might find out that they really aren’t that great. This could apply to an athlete’s athletic ability or to their life in general. For example, an athlete might think, “Yeah, I’m a highly talented football player, but wait until people find out that I’m not good at anything else.”

Self-limiting deeply-felt questions may surface like:

• What gives me the right to be here?
• Who do I think I am?
• What if they find out I’m not really that smart, talented, etc.?
• What if I put this thing out there and people realize that it’s flawed?

What exactly is Imposter Phenomenon?

“Two American psychologists, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, gave it a name in 1978: the impostor syndrome. They described it as a feeling of ‘phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.’ While these people ‘are highly motivated to achieve,’ they also ‘live in fear of being found out or exposed as frauds.’” 

– Carl Richards, “Learning to Deal With the Impostor Syndrome”

Imposter Phenomenon (or syndrome) is a self-doubt firestorm that doesn’t discriminate.

An estimated 70% of people will experience Imposter Phenomenon at least once in his or her life. (Source: The Impostor Phenomenon)

It happens to both men and women.

It’s not limited to a specific personality type.

Career field and success level are irrelevant.

So, what is the common factor? A failure to accept one’s own success or competency.

There are a myriad of reasons why someone wouldn’t accept their own success or ability. Some might point fingers at self-esteem, but there’s actually an incredible amount of studies out there on Imposter Phenomenon. What intrigues me is that in the spirit of personal growth, I think there’s an element of this pattern that naturally exists in every single person.

Putting yourself out there, taking a risk, sharing, etc. can cause anxiety. Very few people live without a fear of what another person might think or say about them. There will always be someone’s opinion that you hold in high regard and therefore care—at times maybe too much—about their opinion.

3 Mindset Shifts to Help You Overcome Imposter Phenomenon

1. Be mindful. One effective solution for athlete imposter syndrome is to focus on the process rather than the outcome. Instead of judging how you’re doing in your performance, focus strictly on going through the motions of performing. Many athletes become fixated on winning or achieving a certain goal, which can increase their anxiety and self-doubt. By shifting your focus to the process, you can build your confidence and reduce your feelings of inadequacy. This approach can also help you develop a growth mindset, where you view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth rather than as threats to your self-worth.
2. No one is perfect. I can’t talk about imposter syndrome without also sharing that I have of course felt its wrath. Most of the time, it’s quietly floating around in an ambiguous way. I’ll catch myself trying to talk myself out of doing things because of one reason or another. But, the real reason I do that is because I’m scared of being wrong and not being accepted. Okay, so now that that’s out there. Here’s what I have to remind myself and here’s what I want to remind you: No one knows what they are doing.  So, you’re in good company. The idea that any single person on this planet has it all together is preposterous. Everyone has flaws and fears.
3. Keep moving. There is a very famous saying that is adopted from Robert Frost’s poem “Servant to Servant” and that is, the only way out is through. One way to overcome imposter syndrome is to take action. Yup, that’s right. Do the one thing that imposter syndrome makes you afraid to do. Generally speaking, the more you do something, the more confident you become. Moreover, sometimes to beat anxious thoughts, you have to keep moving forward.

What if the next time you’re anxious of being criticized or “found out” as a fraud, you remind yourself that the people that you’re afraid of revealing yourself to live with their own flaws and fears? I don’t care how successful they are and how high of regard you hold them in.

To that point, what you do matters. There’s a place for you. All of you. In your incredibly uniquely gifted entirety.

No one will get it right 100% of the time. Own that. Hold your head up high and make your move because at least you’re trying. Not everyone can say that.

There is a ton of research and literature out there about Imposter Phenomenon. One thing that I didn’t get into here is about the Imposter archetypes, which are the different ways in which the issue may surface. Although there is no official one way of defining and naming these artchetypes, one source that I recommend is a podcast episode called “Overcoming Imposter Phenomemon” by Brett Bartholomew.

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