The relationship between Impostor Syndrome and Perfectionism

In people who are very perfectionists, a very curious paradox can occur. On the one hand, they are so involved in their work or project that they know its technical aspects down to the smallest detail; However, precisely because there are so many emotions at stake, they can also have a very biased view of what they are doing and the results they are getting.

In other words, they know a lot about the different parts and mechanics of what they are creating, but they have it more difficult to take an objective and detached view of what it all means, and what it says about one same.

That is why in the field of Psychology many talk about what is known as "perfectionism". dysfunctional”, which usually gives rise to behavior patterns based on self-sabotage and low self-esteem. In this article we will talk about one of the most common consequences of this form of perfectionism: impostor syndrome.

• Related article: "Self-concept: what is it and how is it formed?"

Why is perfectionism a double-edged sword?

The first thing to note is that the simple fact of being a perfectionist is not necessarily something negative; it is important to distinguish between different cases. For example, self-oriented perfectionism is one in which it is oneself who sets the goals and ideals to be achieved, and in these situations anxiety problems are less likely to arise.

However, there is another type of perfectionism, the socially prescribed one, which is a true bomb of clockwork when it comes to mental health, as it puts us over and over again in a situation where we value everything we are achieving not from our point of view, but from the one we attribute to other people, and that makes us be under great pressure to work hard and well in order to earn the acceptance and validation of the rest.

But this last way of being perfectionists not only harms us because it puts us under the continuous wear and tear of anxiety; In addition, it influences our way of interpreting the results we obtain, making us always feel bad about them. It does not make us feel dissatisfied, but directly guilty and emotionally hurt; This is because our way of relating to the moral value of "perfection" is from the fear of not measuring up in the eyes of others, thus we are always alert to any sign of anger or rejection, and this task is in itself another type of work that we carry out in parallel and stresses us in a way different.

• You may be interested in: "Perfectionist Personality: The Disadvantages of Perfectionism"

And what is impostor syndrome?

Now let's see what the other sub-theme of this article consists of: the impostor syndrome. It is a psychological phenomenon in which someone who has made certain significant achievements (for example, earning a college degree, receiving a promotion at work, or building a successful business) he is unable to accept that he is deserving of those merits, so he assumes that everything is a misunderstanding when interpreting something that has been the result of luck alone.

As you can guess, the impostor syndrome is closely linked to certain problems of self-esteem that make the person always "on guard" waiting for the moment to be unmasked as fraud.

• Related article: "Impostor syndrome: when we don't value our successes"

The Link Between Perfectionism and Imposter Syndrome

Now that we've seen what dysfunctional perfectionism and impostor syndrome are, it's time to ask: how are the two related? What they have in common is a problematic way of managing anxiety., associating it with a desperate search to postpone the moment in which they also discover that we are not made for a certain task, project, or professional role.

The person with the type of dysfunctional perfectionism that we have seen before does not strive because it fills him or her. because they are very interested in getting closer to an ideal, but rather to escape the shame, ridicule or anger of others. the rest; For this reason, he understands that his only recourse to avoid falling before the demands of the rest is to sacrifice a lot of time and effort, a precarious solution that, according to his point of view, is not sustainable; sooner or later it will cease to be valid.

Given this way of looking at things, it's not surprising that when praise or admiration comes it's seen as a painful reminder that "you've cheated"; a sign that others are paying attention to the wrong person and, deep down, They deserve to know that they are facing a fraud.

Once we have adopted that point of view linked to the anxiety that causes us to look back and remember the path of bitterness that has led us to that "undeserved" fame, the next thing is to focus our attention only on our defects, on everything that confirms the narrative of the person impostor who deceives others by maintaining an image that does not correspond to reality, since the need to keep everything hidden appears that.

Do you want to improve your way of managing anxiety and perfectionism?

If you are looking for professional help to overcome problems related to anxiety, self-esteem or work stress, contact me.

Am Ada Folch, and in my consultation of General Health Psychology and psychological assistance for adults and adolescents you will find the support you need to better relate to your emotions, either through face-to-face therapy sessions or through online therapy sessions for video call.