Embracing your Authentic Self - Casting off the Imposter Syndrome Shadow
By Geeta THAKERAR
In my last BLOG I focused on voice and speaking up and some reasons why lawyers shy away from voicing their feelings and the power of leveraging conversational intelligence.
I would now like to turn some focus on authenticity and imposter syndrome and tis potential adverse impact on wellbeing.
Lawyers are largely perfectionists by nature. Research shows a large percentage of the legal profession are driven by legal hierarchy and the constant focus to be a consistent high achiever in everything.
There is a tendency to suffer anxiety around the loss of admiration from colleagues, peers,
family and friends.
Why is authenticity necessary, why does the legal profession have a tendency often to fall under the shadows of imposer syndrome?
Who do you hold yourself out as and who do you hold your own self out as for yourself?
Successful leaders strive to be and remain authentic and true to themselves, to build trust and confidence and to show empathy and vulnerabilities.
Suffering from anxiety and stress around the loss of admiration and setting the bar so high places a silent but continuous chipping away, inside ourselves. Over time, this can have a debilitating effect within ourselves.
It should not always be about accomplishments. Often the strive towards perfectionism leads to every aspect of life which must, without fail be achieved and accomplished with the highest standards. Is it right to sacrifice authenticity in the name of admiration?
A deep sense of not really belonging but having to proceed anyway because of fear of shame, sense of inferiority, self-suppression and/or insecurities. The sense or feeling of being a fraud and the constant concern of being found out. This whole vicious cycle places unnecessary and silent stress, burn out and anxiety on ourselves. Lawyers are, typically high achievers and perfectionists, will get caught in this web and be cast under the shadow of imposter syndrome.
Have you thought about perhaps top priorities, which should include wellbeing? Lower standards on mid or low-level priorities such that you strive to meet competency standards there.
The perfectionist illusion suggests everything is equally important, nothing translates to being perfected in the end - you spread yourself too thin - across multiple priorities. This often can, inter alia, manifest itself in frustration, anger, anxiety stress, self-doubt and insecurity.
In our next SCCA Wellbeing Chapter “Wellbeing Wednesdays series” scheduled on 21st August 2024, we aim to have meaningful discussions on this topic over lunchtime and a lunch. If interested, please do come along and join us for a small group conversation, within a safe space environment.
Click here to register.
