Impostor syndrome is where you feel you don’t really deserve your success, that you just lucked into it and that any moment now, people will realize this and you’ll be exposed as a fraud. Here is a nice article about it, with a great graph.
I know what it is and what it should feel like, but when talking with people who have it I have felt like I can’t properly relate or suggest solutions to help carry them away from a distraction or limiting identity. Do you have experience escaping feeling like an imposter?
I don’t have it that bad, but the graph in that article certainly resonates with me. I don’t feel like an impostor, exactly, but I do tend to feel like “I’m nothing special, everyone knows/can do that”.
Looking at that graph helps a lot, because it reminds me that no, not everyone has the knowledge/experience to be a good translator, to take myself as an example. It also helps to make a list of the component parts of what you do. For example, as a software translator, I have a near-native command of English, an excellent command of my own language, experience with all kinds of tools, knowledge of how to get the most out of the (often lacking) context, I’ve done a little programming and work with HTML; very little, but it really helps me determine what parts of a syntax example are translatable.… I could probably add more items with a little thought.
Another thing that helps is comparing myself with others. They always say you shouldn’t do that, but lately I have been editing the work of other translators, and when I see the mistakes they make sometimes, I can’t help feeling that I mustn’t be that bad after all.
Another thing I’ve just recently read about and haven’t had occasion to act on yet, is to save any positive feedback you get. Save any letters, e-mails etc. where someone compliments you. Those can also help in your next performance review. Maybe write down oral compliments somewhere, too.
And remember the saying: “Everyone is ignorant, only in different subjects”.
Impostor syndrome is where you feel you don’t really deserve your success, that you just lucked into it and that any moment now, people will realize this and you’ll be exposed as a fraud. Here is a nice article about it, with a great graph.
I know what it is and what it should feel like, but when talking with people who have it I have felt like I can’t properly relate or suggest solutions to help carry them away from a distraction or limiting identity. Do you have experience escaping feeling like an imposter?
I don’t have it that bad, but the graph in that article certainly resonates with me. I don’t feel like an impostor, exactly, but I do tend to feel like “I’m nothing special, everyone knows/can do that”.
Looking at that graph helps a lot, because it reminds me that no, not everyone has the knowledge/experience to be a good translator, to take myself as an example. It also helps to make a list of the component parts of what you do. For example, as a software translator, I have a near-native command of English, an excellent command of my own language, experience with all kinds of tools, knowledge of how to get the most out of the (often lacking) context, I’ve done a little programming and work with HTML; very little, but it really helps me determine what parts of a syntax example are translatable.… I could probably add more items with a little thought.
Another thing that helps is comparing myself with others. They always say you shouldn’t do that, but lately I have been editing the work of other translators, and when I see the mistakes they make sometimes, I can’t help feeling that I mustn’t be that bad after all.
Another thing I’ve just recently read about and haven’t had occasion to act on yet, is to save any positive feedback you get. Save any letters, e-mails etc. where someone compliments you. Those can also help in your next performance review. Maybe write down oral compliments somewhere, too.
And remember the saying: “Everyone is ignorant, only in different subjects”.