On the Rag has been hard at work trying to come up with a foolproof method for overcoming imposter syndrome. This is what it’s come up with.
In this month’s episode of of On the Rag, we decided to confront imposter syndrome, aka the horrible demon lurking in many of our brains that doesn’t always want the best for us. The term was first coined in the late 70s to describe a phenomenon that disproportionately affects women and makes us much more likely to underestimate ourselves and feel like a “fraud”.
The expert team at On the Rag has been working hard to come up with a miracle treatment for those suffering from imposter syndrome. And we think we’ve found something that might actually work. All you need for this experiment is a small group of friends, a small dossier of praise gathered about each friend and a large quantity of alcohol, marshmallows, or dry Weet-Bix*.
Here’s how to play: participants sit in a circle and take turns praising each other in the spirit of Elle Woods’ snaps in the hit film Legally Blonde. Every time the recipient shrugs off, deflects or tries to minimise the praise, they have to take a dose of their chosen “medicine”. Repeat dosage until you stop undermining your own skills and achievements and start feeling like less of a fraud**.
*Please remember to drink alcohol and eat Weet-Bix responsibly
**Results may also include happy tears and feelings of mediocre man confidence.
On the Rag is made with the support of NZ On Air.