A key component for success in any career is a realistic grasp of our skills and the emotional intelligence needed to stay afloat when challenges emerge. But one of the most common barriers for women and people of color is “imposter syndrome” – persistent feelings of self-doubt about performance even when external evidence suggests otherwise.

On May 5, the American Press Institute’s vice president for journalism strategy, Samantha Ragland, guided Widening the Pipeline fellows through an exercise in “Defeating the Voice Inside Your Head.” Those whispers of anxiety and self-degradation can derail our journalism careers before they have a chance to flourish. Ragland’s presentation emphasized the importance of normalizing conversations about imposter syndrome and acquiring the skills to overcome it through intentional mindset shifts and building the right support network.

Here are some key takeaways from Ragland’s session:

Imposter syndrome is a systemic issue, not just a personal one.

The very fact that you’re in journalism often signals that you’re competent and that you belong, Ragland said. But for women and people of color, systemic racism and bias toward white men as leaders can result in feelings of being locked out of the inner circle and unequipped to compete.

“We see their leadership style, their communication style as where we need to get to, and if we’re different, then different is always deemed as bad. Different is seen as being a deficit, taking away from versus adding value to the newsroom because I see things differently than this status quo of leadership from the white male gaze.”

Know thyself.

For many people, imposter syndrome is fueled by an intense fear of letting others down. But that can lead to a disconnect from internal strengths and coping mechanisms.

“Your inner critic can make you wait for others to give their opinion in a meeting before you speak up about something you’re working on,” Ragland said. “Your inner critic can make you not negotiate your salary because you’re just grateful to have a job or an offer in the first place. That is not just true for me and for many of us, and it’s not just our personal inner critic, but it is historical and cultural.”

Build an evidence bank.

Ragland urged the journalists to remember personal scenarios when things worked out well.

“Get it in your mind. Who were the players? What was the situation? How did you get to the other side of your critic telling you you’re not enough, you’re not worthy?” Label those scenarios with bold headlines, Ragland advised. “These are headlines of triumph. These are headlines of awareness. These are receipts that if you can triumph once, you can overcome it again and again.”

The more examples of success that an individual can point to, the better the chances of defeating imposter syndrome, Ragland said. That practice helps an individual reframe the internal conversation that automatically skews toward the negative. It can also nurture the ability to find a positive take on situations more often.

“Optimism is the very unique way of looking at the world and seeing adversity as a challenge to be navigated as opposed to a wall to get stuck. There’s this idea of planning, understanding when you feel the most like a fraud and how you plan your way around that strategically so you know how you want to move next.

“Every interaction in the newsroom across the course of your career will either catalyze you through your sense of imposter syndrome or it will hold you down. It will put you in a bondage that is incredibly hard to break. It’s why it is important to be an active participant in the life that you live every single time.”

Access the full transcript here.

This fellowship is funded by the Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation. NPF is solely responsible for the content.