Imposter Syndrome
Fighting Self-Doubt and Remembering You Belong
With Halloween just around the corner, we’re in the heart of the Spooky Season! You might see all kinds of movie monsters this October, from Dracula to Frankenstein. But the scariest monster that actors should watch out for? Imposter Syndrome.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon characterized by consistent self-doubt and feeling like “a fraud,” in spite of your achievements. The most ironic (and insidious) part of imposter syndrome is that it’s most often felt by high-achieving, accomplished people. Imposter syndrome tells you “I don’t belong here,” even after you’ve booked the biggest job of your life. And it doesn’t just affect your internal feelings of self-worth—it can affect your external performance as well. When you convince yourself that you are “not good enough” to do a job, that mindset seeps into your work, eating away at your confidence and sabotaging what you’ve worked so hard for.
If you’ve ever felt imposter syndrome, you’re not alone. After Jodie Foster won two Best Actress Oscars for The Accused and Silence of the Lambs, she worried that everyone would find out she was a fraud and come to her house to “take the Oscar back.” During Harry Potter filming, Emma Watson revealed “the better I do, the more my feeling of inadequacy actually increases, because I’m just going, ‘Any moment, someone’s going to find out I’m a total fraud, and that I don’t deserve any of what I’ve achieved.” Even national treasure Tom Hanks has experienced self-doubt: “No matter what we’ve done, there comes a point where you think, ‘How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?”
When even the most accomplished actors in the world feel Imposter Syndrome, it’s easier to recognize your self-doubt for what it is: a mental state, not a reality. The more you accomplish, the more it feels like you have to lose, the more anxiety consumes you. But all of those accomplishments are reminders that your success is real and deserved.
So, how do you defeat the Imposter Syndrome Monster?
It all comes back to mindset.
Remind yourself of your achievements, big or small. Keep a log of them to come back to as concrete proof of your abilities.
Recognize what is a feeling and what is a fact—are you really the worst actor in the world or did you just flub your line one time during a take?
Reframe your negative self-talk through affirmations and positive thinking. Instead of saying to yourself, “Everyone is better than me,” reframe to “I am surrounded by accomplished people and I am going to learn so much from them!” Instead of thinking, “I have no idea what I’m doing,” remind yourself that, although you may not know all the answers, you’re smart enough to figure them out. Turn your fears and self-doubts into mantras of optimism that keep you going and succeeding.
Visualize your success. If you have a big, scary scene coming up on set, visualize the best outcome of the day. How do you prepare? What does your performance look like? How does it feel afterward to celebrate with your cast and with yourself?
Fake it ‘till you make it. Sometimes it feels like you’re just flying by the seat of your pants; but that isn’t a bad thing! “Winging it” doesn’t mean you’re a fraud—it means you can pick up skills quickly and take risks even when you’re not completely confident, which is proof of your talent.
Have Faith in Yourself
Ultimately, battling Imposter Syndrome means battling self-image. Trust in your training. Believe in the potential casting sees in you. Talk yourself up with love and compassion. Because why shouldn’t it be you that books that big gig? Why are you less deserving than anyone else? Put the Imposter Syndrome costume back in the closet, so that the only monsters you see this Halloween are werewolves and vampires.
Feel like you need a confidence boost to push your performance that much farther? Actorsite classes aren’t just about rehearsing scenes; they’re about building the right mindset to carry into every performance you do. Check out our classes like Scene Study to create the mental strength you need to enjoy a long, successful career as an actor.