Imposter Syndrome...anyone else?

[FortunesFave]

I've worked hard over the last ten years and have achieved quite a few things.

Now I'm finding opportunities are coming my way and I'm crapping myself! I feel like such a fake.

I know in my deepest self that I'm not an imposter but there's another part of me thinking "Who are you to do that?!"

And feeling like I'm going to get caught out for faking.

Can anyone advise me on how to get rid of this? I've got two events coming up this weekend where I have to put myself on show a bit and I am so scared!

No advice but I feel the same! It's taken me a while to get to where I am now, and I know I deserve it, but I feel like a fraud for some reason... And that one day I will be 'exposed'
I just fake it and act completely confident and comfortable-it's exhausting!

Yes it screams at me all day long. Read Playing Big by Tara Mohr. Really helped me deal with the voice of not good enough.

I feel the same. No advice except to always remember that men don't feel this way and there are so many mediocre men I positions of power without the right skills. It's generally something women suffer from and we need to stop!

Yes and any mistake I make at work ends with me feeling like I'm not fit to do the job. It might have more to do with the fact that I'm doing a senior position role, with an intermediate level experience, and not in the area I work in currently. I get no senior supervision 80% of the time....
So yeah I'm always thinking I'm not good enough to do my job.
I'm also a female in a male industry, so always feel like I have something to prove.
My mistakes hit me more because I think a guy wouldn't make that mistake.

I have no desire to be funny, but it is simply not true that men do not feel imposter syndrome. That is sexist. I got a scholarship, a free place at a private fee paying school. In the top ten out of hundreds allegedly. This is not possible. I am a pillock. I spent my time at secondary school crapping myself that I was gonna get a tap on the shoulder from the Head; Smith, we need a word. That my labourer father, and school cook mother, would be presented with an unpayable back dated bill. Many of us are, underneath, such fragile, brittle creatures.

Yes same here. I fake it. I also undercharge for what I do and often allow people to take advantage. But every so often I stand up for myself and every time I do that my self belief grows a tiny bit. I also try and surround myself with clients and friends who value what i do. And I try to focus on where I’ve come from rather than what’s a I haven’t yet achieved. You earned your position. Take the opportunities when they arise!

Was thinking about this today. I'm about to do a viva for my PhD, so in theory should be an expert on the topic, but that feels completely unjustified.