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The Imposter's Survival Guide

Oliver Burkeman explores the imposter phenomenon. That inexplicable feeling of fraudulence that plagues the working lives of so many people.

Oliver Burkeman explores why so many of us spend our working lives feeling like imposters on the brink of being found out. Where do these feelings come from and are we alone?

The imposter phenomena has been known about for decades and while it's better known by the media label 'imposter syndrome' it's not a mental health problem at all. It's more of a psychological state we all experience to a greater or lesser degree. When it bites people feel that they're a total fraud and at any moment they'll be exposed. This fear can stop them from taking satisfaction from their successes as they feel they'll only have further to fall.

Oliver talks to individuals who've reached the top of their field whether in the arts, business or medicine about how they all feel like imposters from time to time. He'll also examine the latest research that suggests its more prevalent than ever. What's changed about how we live and work today that leaves so many of us with these feelings. And what can be done about them? Is just admitting to one another that we all feel same way enough?

Producer: Peter McManus.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 28 Aug 2016 06:00

Dr Valerie Young

Dr Valerie Young
Dr. Valerie Young is an internationally-known speaker, a leading expert on the impostor syndrome, and author of award-winning book The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It.

Jasmine Vergauwe

Jasmine Vergauwe

Jasmine Vergauwe researches Organizational Psychology, Personality Psychology and Applied Psychology at the University of Ghent in Belgium.

Μύ

Amanda Palmer

Amanda Palmer

is an American singer-songwriter who first rose to prominence as the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the duo The Dresden Dolls. She has had a successful solo career, as well as going on to write and speak about the power of asking.

Frances Hardinge

Frances Hardinge
Μύis an author of fiction for children and young adults. Her 2015 novel The Lie Tree won Book of theΜύyear atΜύthe Costa Book Awards.

Henry Marsh

Henry Marsh

Henry Thomas Marsh CBE FRCS is a leading British neurosurgeon, and a pioneer of neurosurgical advances in Ukraine. He’s also the author of the widely acclaimed memoir Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery.

Jules Evans

Jules Evans

Jules Evans researches and writes aboutΜύthe therapeutic practices from ancient philosophies and wisdom traditions andΜύhow individuals and organisations use them today.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 26 Apr 2016 11:00
  • Mon 2 May 2016 21:00
  • Wed 24 Aug 2016 13:30
  • Sun 28 Aug 2016 06:00

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