Abstract
This chapter looks at how you might view your self-worth as a PhD student, looking at perfectionism, the Impostor Phenomenon and more, offering tips and tricks on how to manage these feelings.
(Trigger Warnings: discrimination, gaslighting)
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Notes
- 1.
Note: there have been very little detailed studies on the effect of the Impostor Phenomenon on non-binary and gender diverse individuals. I want to acknowledge this. More research in this area is needed.
- 2.
It is also somewhat ironic me giving you advice to master the Impostor Phenomenon. I struggle with it heavily, and even now, am still working on my internal voice telling me I am not good enough. As I write this book, I wonder if it is actually just a load of rubbish and if I actually know what I am talking about. The fact that I hope that this is just the Impostor Phenomenon, not me actually being rubbish, is exactly the pointāI think I am the odd one out and I am the real impostor. Maybe I am though? You get the point.
- 3.
In fact, I distinctly remember someone during my PhD using their painting skills to paint insulating epoxy onto (perhaps) the worldās smallest diamond electrode to run their experiment, something no-one else had the knack for.
- 4.
Of course, calling out these thoughts and feelings is easier said than done. It takes time and practice to recognise them.
- 5.
I managed to get a fair few papers out during my PhD, which was in part luck, but also as I was good at identifying collaborations and choosing not to engage in competing.
- 6.
I am terrible for this, and used to end up spending a lot of time on each email to make sure it was āperfectā. In reality, as long as it is polite, there is no such thing as the perfect email.
- 7.
Even after having given over 50 (yes 50!) talks, I still get that sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach before speaking. In the past I have even taken my contact lenses out before giving a talk so I could not see the audience.
- 8.
Another thing to think about isācan you be the āfriendlyā for someone else? I try to do this, as I remember what it was like first starting out.
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Ayres, Z.J. (2022). Why You Earned It: Fighting the Impostor. In: Managing your Mental Health during your PhD. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14194-2_7
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