If you're fully qualified and experienced in your work, or any leadership role - and yet you still feel that you have to "over-perform", as if you could be found lacking at any moment... you could be experiencing "imposter syndrome".

Imposter syndrome is not a recognised psychological disorder, but a "cognitive distortion" that was first identified in the late 1970s among high-achieving women. More recent scientific research has found that it can affect people more equally across the genders these days, but that it's more common among ethnic minority groups. This could be due to cultural messaging about status or stereotypes.

In this podcast, I look at how imposter syndrome happens, the kinds of problems it can cause, why some people have it and others don't, and I'll also suggest some ways to overcome it if it's happening to you.

Cover art by BiancaVanDijk on Pixabay.

These days, we are expected to perform from an early age - online, in exams and in the workplace. We often feel judged, rated and compared. No wonder global anxiety levels are rising.

In this podcast I consider a possible solution to this performance-related anxiety which might seem counter-intuitive, but is supported by significant scientific research.

In this podcast I look at some of the psychological teachings of George Gurdjieff, a spiritual teacher who was born in the Russian Empire in the late 19th century.

Gurdjieff first found acclaim in Russia in the 1910s, and after the First World War and the Russian Revolution, he gained a following among the wealthy and influential classes in Europe. His unconventional teachings and methods attracted many, but have probably prevented his more progressive psychological ideas from becoming widely known and accepted.

Gurdjieff's ideas were not scientifically based, but probably woven from contemporary psychology mingled with spiritual teachings from various religions. I personally think they make a lot of sense today, and not only that - in an age where our lives are increasingly driven by technology, many of his words seem astonishingly prophetic.

My sources for this video include the books In Search of the Miraculous by PD Ouspensky, Meetings With Remarkable Men by George Gurdjieff and Psychological Commentaries by Maurice Nicoll.