Surely you have suffered from impostor syndrome at some time. The imposter syndrome it is actually more common than we think. According to reports from El Mentalysta, experts in social psychology and body language, more than 70% of people have suffered from this syndrome at some point in your life. “But that does not make it less harmful to the confidence and career of those who suffer from it,” he warns.
To get fully into the subject, we must first understand what exactly this syndrome consists of. The experts consulted agree that impostor syndrome occurs in those successful people who are unable to assimilate their achievements. “It is compared to low self-esteem or lack of confidence,” they warn. In fact, they assure that some researchers link to perfectionism, especially in women.
Applied to the gym and doing sports, this translates into think you are a fraud. Imposter syndrome can negatively affect you at the time of achieve your goals: “If you are convinced that you are not up to the task, this may prevent impose yourself or take the necessary risks“.
In this way, in the gym we believe that our achievements are the product of luck, that we do not deserve recognition for our merits because “they are not a big deal.” Nor do we allow ourselves to risk and take steps fear of failing and we feel fear for others to realize that we are not good enough.
How to choose your gym well
How to get over it
In addition to speaking with psychologists, it is important to assess the opinion of personal trainers. In this sense, coach Verónica Domingo invites us to create realistic goals and opt for small objectives, bearing in mind that it is a long-distance race.
“Before we start, it is important to remember that we are not always motivated and we will have to discipline ourselves if we want to achieve our goals. We can increase the activity so that the progression is little by little”, explains Domingo.
Both experts invite us to acknowledge and write down feelings of “impostor” when they arise. This will help us to break the cycle of negative thoughts: “It often happens that, when we write them, we see these thoughts from another perspective and we can abstract from them. Make a list of your strengths. Keeping track of your accomplishments is not a good way to remind yourself that you are not a fraud. “
Divide your goals into small, realistic goals. A very big goal implies huge changes in our day to day. “For this reason, it is important to set guidelines little by little and in the long term. A large task seen as a single block seems insurmountable. Dividing it into subtasks will make it more manageable,” recalls the personal trainer.
Great achievements require lifelong learning
On the other hand, we have to accept that if we fail it is not the end of the world, We learn from mistakes. Great achievements require lifelong learning. Natural ability is only the seed of success, but you won’t achieve great goals without being disciplined and committed to your purpose. “Progress is better than perfection”explains Domingo.
Every person is a world
In addition, it is important to emphasize that the goals in the gym, as in other areas of our life, are not the same for everyone. Depending on your body and your abilities, you should focus on different aspects.
Ultimately, they conclude that it is important face these problems, but it can also be positive to have some of the impostor syndrome since you keep your humility and focus on improving your habits… and try to enjoy the process. “
Photos | Unsplash