One of my best friends, Annabel, called me a few days ago to interview me about imposter syndrome for a story in her high school’s—my alma mater’s—newspaper. In the wise words of Wikipedia, imposter syndrome refers “to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a ‘fraud.’ Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved.”
I was honored but shocked that Annabel wanted to interview me. Annabel interviewed me because she believed I was able to recognize my successes and accept compliments from people who recognized them too. But when she first described the syndrome, I thought it perfectly described me. I hate being the center of attention, and I only tell my sister, parents, and grandparents about my accomplishments. I consider myself to be a very private and often shy person, only opening up to people when I know I can trust them. I don’t fit the imposter syndrome description, however, because I don’t think of my accomplishments to be a “fraud.” I know how much work I put into my homework and studying, and my jobs and internships too, and recognize my accomplishments even though I do so in a private way.
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Throughout my life, I’ve come across quite a few students who brag about their grades and accomplishments. I think those who brag aim to build themselves up with praise while tearing other people down by making them feel less smart or successful. I respect students and professionals who are “silently successful”—the ones who are immensely accomplished yet are truly humble. I respect people who can personally accept their success without asking for and needing gratification from others.
I was once guilty of comparing myself to the braggers out there. While I recognized my accomplishments, it was also easy for me to doubt them when I listened to other people talk about their amazing grades, awards, internships, etc. But, as I matured throughout high school and my first year of college, I realized that comparing myself to other people only hurt me. I think this quote by Theodore Roosevelt sums up my point nicely: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” There are many amazing, accomplished people in the world, and I’ve decided that, instead of comparing myself to them, I should strive to be just as successful by setting new and higher goals.
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but too many people fail to acknowledge their accomplishments. I think it’s important for people to recognize their own strengths—to not consider themselves “frauds,” because all successful people deserve recognition for their hard work. We all have something different to offer to the world. I think we should embrace our strengths, work on our weaknesses, pat ourselves on the back every once in a while, and stop comparing ourselves to others. In the words of Christian Borle:
