How to Deal with Impostor Syndrome Or, How to Know When Your Inner Monologue is Lying to You (72)
Matthew Bolton, School of Arts and Sciences, Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, FL




Abstract
Many people are confronted with “impostor syndrome,” the so-called inability to internalize, and feel as if one is worthy of, personal accomplishments. It is common among established professionals as well as students, who may be especially prone to feelings of self-doubt in a profession where jobs are difficult to obtain and where it seems people are always doing well for themselves relative to oneself. This talk will discuss the presentation of the phenomenon with a focus on relevant characteristics, and discuss ways students and professionals in the weather enterprise can overcome it. Drawing on personal anecdotes from 10+ years as a student active in the weather enterprise (since high school), I hope to open the floor to discussion on the topic and begin to destigmatize impostor syndrome as something everyone deals with in some way, despite the size of their CV and of the perceptions of others as regards their accomplishments.