Have you ever done something to your best abilities and yet felt like you have not done enough? do you tend to criticize yourself and downplay your efforts constantly? Do you have a tendency to discredit your effort and contributions when you win something as a group?
If you are able to relate to the above there is high chance that you may have perfectionist tendencies. Most people like to do a good job however those people with perfectionist tendencies tend to go the extra mile. Those with perfectionist tendencies tend to make it harder for themselves and are almost never satisfied despite knowing that they are putting in their best efforts. They like everything to be just right and are unable to accept any kinds of errors and failures.
People who have perfectionist tendencies make it a point to work extremely hard which may often lead to extreme levels of burnout as well. Although being a perfectionist can be rewarding at times, there are also times when it can create issues in one’s work. A perfectionist person may spend multiple hours doing one project in order to do it properly but they may also at times procrastinate and delay working on certain projects in fear of not doing it perfectly. Therefore, being perfect can come at a cost.
Perfectionism has been found to be strongly correlated to imposter syndrome across multiple studies. Imposter syndrome is when people feel that they do not belong. People who feel like they are part of an outgroup, however, this feeling is mostly because of internal beliefs and there are no external factors that cast them as outgroups. there are multiple people across the globe who are unaware of what imposter syndrome is and therefore it is important to know about it.
Challenges for Students
Imposter syndrome can be felt by anyone and everyone, here however we will be focusing mostly on how imposter syndrome looks like for student-athletes. Athletes have multiple factors in their lives which could be considered a cause for their feelings of imposter syndrome. student-athletes have a busier lifestyle than regular students and yet need to perform like their classmates. Student-athletes have to juggle academics and sport, which can get extremely hard at times.
Student-athletes tend to often miss classes as well which could lead them to feel that they are left out. Even if they are not unwelcomed in class and everyone is being normal, there are times when students, especially student-athletes may feel that they are a member of the outgroup. It becomes harder when those student-athletes have perfectionist tendencies. They not only undergo feelings of being an outsider but also feel a great amount of pressure to make sure that they are doing their best and things are going perfectly.
Student-athletes have an extremely busy schedule and have to juggle their academics and sports life which is not easy. Although there are some student-athletes who are completely sure of their future goals and prioritize their sport over their studies, there are many who rely on their hard work and ability in their sport but also in their studies. The student-athletes from all levels- amateur to professional can all undergo the imposter phenomenon at least once in a person’s lifetime. Student-athletes are using their bodies which can make it extremely hard for them as they end up both physically and mentally drained. We live in an extremely competitive world with many social comparisons about performance and ability that impact the athletes’ fear of failure and add pressures of perfection in college.
Imposter Syndrome & DSM
Imposter syndrome is not a diagnosable mental illness as per the DSM V however it is important to understand as it is linked to multiple other factors that also to various other mental illnesses. Those with imposter syndrome tend to talk to themselves in a negative manner, are restless and nervous, experience self-doubt in areas wherein they were excelling before and show symptoms of anxiety and depression among others.
There are five basic types of imposter syndrome that help us in understanding the concept better- the perfectionist, the expert, the natural genius, the soloist and the supper person. People with imposter syndrome tend to feel like a fraud and there could be times when the individual may be found to sabotage their own success, set very challenging goals, and feel disappointed when they fall short of doing something perfectly and attributing success to other external factors. Imposter syndrome can work differently with different people. Although for some people imposter syndrome can fuel motivation to achieve however this usually comes at the cost of experiencing constant anxiety. The individuals get stuck in a vicious cycle where they cannot internalize their successes and consider themselves frauds.
