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The Retirement Newsletter: Dealing with imposter syndrome in retirement
Welcome
Welcome to issue number 14.
This week, I am looking at imposter syndrome in retirement. I ask whether it can affect retirement and, if so, what I can do about it.
Imposter syndrome
I am not a trained health professional, and I have based the following on my experiences and the limited training I have received over the years to support students.
So, what is imposter syndrome?
Well, my dictionary defines it as:
“the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills: people suffering from imposter syndrome may be at increased risk of anxiety.”
Basically, you doubt your skills, talents, or accomplishments and fear being exposed as a “fraud” — despite external evidence to the contrary.
As a university lecturer, I suffered from imposter syndrome. At the time, I didn’t know what it was and why I was feeling a particular way. I had constant doubts that I was good enough for the job.
