I can’t do this; I am a fraud

By | April 18, 2017
41 Comments

Am I good enough to proceed with this work? How can I deceive the people who believe in my talents? What if they found out my inefficiencies on a day? Do I really deserve all these appreciations or are they just doing some favour for me? I can’t do this; I am a fraud.

Don’t worry if you have ever thought like this. This is a part of all great achievers like Emma Watson.;)

It was interesting to know that 70 % of the world population have suffered from it at some point of time in their life. They attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than their capability. Most people with this imposter feeling are afraid of ‘being found out’.

May be this is one of the reasons which make people to wear a mask. (Read more on masks at “Unlocking the secrets behind a seductive smile “)

Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome) is a concept describing high-achieving individuals who are marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.

And many a times this fraud syndrome as well as perfectionism goes hand in hand. And it makes people reluctant to ask for help from others.

Self-acceptance is the only way to overcome impostor syndrome. Give your best and recognize your strengths.

41 thoughts on “I can’t do this; I am a fraud”

  2. Jeni G.J

    Do I suffer from this syndrome? You’re scaring me. Anyway I’ll take the last point I’ll recognize my strengths and give my best. Good morning Akhila.

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    1. Akhila Post author

      Morning Jeni.. let us assure our own mind by repeatedly saying, “I can do this”

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  4. Fny

    This is VERY familiar. I do feel like a fraud, always. It is horrible!

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  8. boundlessblessingsblog

    Beautiful words and self-acceptance and being aware of what is happening with you and how you can do better instead of going thru these syndromes that pull you down is not going to work. Be in the know and a positive and healthy happy mind will take you forward.

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  10. Varsh

    We would do ourselves a big service if we not only had humility but also the audacity to accept our own strengths. Seeing success as a luck factor is such an external thing. We never get more than we deserve.

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    1. Akhila Post author

      Thanks varsha. You made a point..accepting oneself should not be limited to any adverse situations..it must happen always..

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  14. Pradita Kapahi

    Great post! But I think that self acceptance is not just about accepting your achievements by also realizing that I’d ok to fail sometimes. we’re only human after all

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  16. Colors of my life

    I have another issue, I sometimes feel over confidence and my boss say that I don’t know my actual capabilities and I can achieve much more.

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  22. Fny

    Aww that’s a nice way of thinking about it! Still is terribly hard though, but I’ll try to see it from that light!

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    1. Akhila Post author

      Yup…try to see it on a lighter side and at the same time accept oneself as a whole

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  32. Akhila Post author

    Yo yo..day before yesterday oru torch light adichu nokkiyarnnu into your brain…

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  40. Prajakta

    I first read about this in the book Lean In and researched a bit. The saddest thing is that women are morely likely to suffer from this – we just cannot accept our achievements at face value and contribute some of it (or all of it) to luck or other external factors.

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    1. Akhila Post author

      Yeah.. I too read that women suffer from this syndrome a lot..that could be another game to make her believe that she is not as capable as a man

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  46. Akhila Post author

    Yo yo.. adipoli Peru alle…that’s what I too thought when I learned this new term

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