People from every corner and walks of life are prone to suffer from impostor syndrome. Some may have already suffered from it without even realizing it. Also, the UK recently conducted a survey, stating that nearly 50 percent of both men and women struggle to deal with impostor syndromes.
The reason impostor syndrome has become so common in people nowadays is fear. Fear is the impetus that mainly drives us in life. It also can create an aura of self-doubt and low confidence, which essentially causes impostor syndrome in the first place. After all, impostor syndrome, in itself, is usually defined as the fraudulent feeling caused due to fear of getting exposed generated from success and achievements in life that seem unworthy and undeserving. The effects of impostor syndrome depend upon the ability to fight through self-doubt and low confidence and accept the successes attained in life.
Today, many people struggle to overcome impostor syndrome in their life. High achievers and younger employees are much more likely to struggle from impostor syndrome. It is because of the immense competition where comparisons have become more common in the professional world. However, here are five books for impostor syndrome to help them overcome their impostor syndrome.
Must-Read Books for Impostor Syndrome (To help You overcome it)
While there is no permanent cure for impostor syndrome, people can still overcome their impostor syndrome. Friends and family are great outlets to talk about impostor syndrome. However, people who struggle to open up to others can refer to these books for impostor syndrome mentioned below.
Overcoming Impostor Syndrome by Elizabeth Harrin
Overcoming Impostor Syndrome by Elizabeth Harrin is an actionable guide. It contains detailed explanations and step-by-step breakdowns to combat impostor syndrome. People who struggle with their impostor syndrome can keep and constantly follow this actionable guidebook. Elizabeth Harrin uses a relative narrative to engage its readers to follow strategies to overcome their self-doubt and low confidence in the workplace. Also, the book's highlight is that the author doesn't claim herself as an expert and instead describes herself as someone who struggled and overcame similar things.
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
The dominance of impostor syndrome starts from nurturing the thoughts that scream in your head. The screaming in your head will say things like, "You don't belong here." Such negative voices in the head can drain all the positivity out of one's brain and cause drastic impacts on their mental health condition. Cheryl Strayed specifically wrote "Tiny Beautiful Things" to help people conquer such voices in their heads. The book contains several bits of advice that can critically help a person deal with their impostor syndrome.
Fear of Winning by Michael J. Bader
Even the most passionate and ambitious persons can suffer from impostor syndrome. From Maya Angelou to Michelle Obama to Serena Williams, numerous passionate, successful individuals have struggled with impostor syndrome at some point in their lives. It is, most likely, their achievements that trigger impostor syndromes in them. Michael J. Bader, in his book Fear of Winning, talks about an 8-step plan to overcome such impostor syndromes.
Misfit by Andreas Souvaliotis
At times, some people can overthink and overestimate the impact of impostor syndrome in their lives. However, think about people who have autism or are gay individuals who are often misunderstood and mistreated. Misfit is a memoir that inspires and guides such individuals who struggled to fit in the norms of society. It tells about how someone can use their "strangeness" to create a success of their own.
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Heard about the massively popular tv show Grey's Anatomy? Shonda Rhimes is the brilliant mind that created it. Grey's Anatomy, alongside Rhimes' other hit tv show, Scandal – revolves around co-working space and how juggling it with professional success and personal life can take a toll on a person. It can put someone into a fear of panic and anxiety if saying "Yes" becomes challenging. Shonda Rhimes wrote "Year of Yes" as a book for impostor syndrome to challenge anxieties and say "Yes" to things that may create intense fear around their work.
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