Imposter syndrome can make a new project feel like the one that will expose you as unqualified, even when you have experience and a record of results. Abdul Osama (عبدول أسامة) says he has felt this way in sales and marketing; the feeling itself does not erase what you have accomplished.
What does it feel like?
Imposter syndrome is a term for feeling that your success does not reflect your real ability and that a future challenge might reveal this. Abdul says each new project or challenge could make him worry that he was not actually good at marketing or sales, despite the results he had achieved.
“Even the most skilled people make mistakes.” — Abdul Osama
What does Abdul suggest?
If you have worked in your field for years, people appreciate your work, and you produce results, do not let self-doubt be the only measure of your competence. Keep learning and improving, but do not treat every mistake as proof that you do not belong in your job. Skilled people make mistakes too, and not everything works out every time.
“You’re not an imposter.” — Abdul Osama
In numbers
- Abdul says he has worked in sales and marketing for 15 years.
- He says he read about imposter syndrome 3–4 years ago.
- He also addresses people who have worked in their field for 3–4 years and receive praise and achieve results.
Background
A new responsibility can bring doubts about your ability. It helps to distinguish a question that prompts you to learn and review your work from a feeling that makes you discount all your experience and results.
What to do next
Look at your experience, the results you have achieved, and the feedback you have received. Identify what you need to learn for the next challenge, then approach it with room to work, improve, and occasionally make mistakes.
