Viola Davis consistently gives incredibly inspiring acceptance speeches. I remember when she was winning everything for The Help and how amazing her speeches were. Now we’ve just come to expect that from her. So her Oscars acceptance speech, which brought many of us to tears, was not surprising at all. That’s just Viola, she always brings it, although some took exception to the line “We are the only profession that celebrates what it is to live a life.” I mean I’m a writer and I think a lot of writers celebrate life by putting it into words. I’m sure musicians, poets, engineers, teachers, and all sorts of people in other professions celebrate life in their work. So that was kind of a careless line from Viola but it wasn’t bad, she wasn’t lauding it over other professions she was just talking about it’s special to tell people’s stories and she was caught up in the moment.
Anyway I don’t want to point out that Viola said that because she just revealed that she still suffers from imposter syndrome. This is not something I would expect to hear from Viola. She’s so talented and smart and you get the impression that she’s very driven and confident. That doesn’t make her immune from feeling like the other shoe is going to drop at any time.
“It feels like my hard work has paid off, but at the same time I still have the imposter, you know, syndrome,” Davis said in an interview with ABC News backstage at this year’s Academy Awards. “I still feel like I’m going to wake up and everybody’s going to see me for the hack I am.
“I still feel like when I walk on the set, I’m starting from scratch, until I realize, ‘OK, I do know what I’m doing, I’m human,'” Davis added.
The “imposter phenomenon,” often referred to as “imposter syndrome,” is a term psychologists use to describe when people feel their achievements are undeserved or worry they may be exposed as a fraud, according to a study on the phenomenon published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science.
An estimated 70 percent of people will experience at least one episode of imposter phenomenon in their lives, according to the same study.
The syndrome was initially believed to affect only professional women, but research has revealed that people of both genders and from a wide range of backgrounds can suffer from it.
Another study, published in the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, suggested that certain ethnic or minority groups, including Asian Americans, may be more likely to feel like an “imposter.”
Davis told Robach that she is beginning to find peace, taking pride in her work and realizing that “self-deprecation is not the answer to humility.”
“I know I’m not the best but I’m proud of myself,” Davis said. “This is the first year I’ve allowed myself just a little bit, to see that, to realize that, self-deprecation is not the answer to humility.
“Sometimes you can say, I deserve it, that I’m proud of myself, and move on,” Davis said.
ABC then had quotes from a psychologist, who said that people who have impostor syndrome often suffer from depression and anxiety. The psychologist gave the advice to “never allow other people to validate you” and to tell yourself “yes I can” when you’re feeling self doubt, which is good advice. I’ve been trying to use tools from rational emotive therapy to change my negative self talk and better manage stressful situations. So instead of thinking “I can’t stand this, it’s awful and I won’t be able to do it” I tell myself something like “This is annoying and I dislike it but I can get through this.” I still struggle with it but when I can stop the catastrophic thoughts it helps a lot. So I can relate to what Viola is saying, and it’s somewhat validating to hear that someone so successful and capable has those thoughts too. ABC also reported on a study which found that impostor syndrome more often affects people from minority groups, which is sobering to hear.
photos credit: FameFlynet and WENN
I realise the shoes are for fun, but they ruin an otherwise beautiful white pant suit.
Her red dress was also lovely and let’s face it, red and gold go together so well!
Yes, apparently white men are the least likely demo to suffer from imposter syndrome which is why Bill, your most incompetent co-worker, interrupts everyone during the weekly meeting.
And why a circus peanut is in the White House.
I think it’s a class/race thing. Posh/privileged people always blag it. They think it’s normal and fine and the way of things. Poor/underprivileged people don’t get anything unless they deserve it more than anybody else does. It’s no wonder this results in crises of confidence.
If you’re posh and clever (I know I know) and perhaps a woman or not very conventionally pretty or wathever, you can also have it – see my comment below if you have the patience (sorry don’t mean to quite myself). Clever people are more likely to have it than the good old chap who doesn’t question anything.
And were you, by any chance, thinking of LEGS? 😉
Actually, of me! I blagged my way into the job I do now with absolutely no experience but a plethora of contacts from posh school and university. I decided I could do it, told other people of course I could do it and everyone took me on faith. Pure blag. As a working class scholarship kid, the differences in justified and unjustified self confidence always seem to stick out like a sore thumb to me cos I’ve seen both sides, if you know what I mean. But of course, also means I tend to discount other aspects.
@Sixer
Same here. As an only child went to private school – no siblings, my parents could afford it. So I developped a sort of fake entitlement that I battle. And an imposter syndrome thingy too…
Very split personality.
So yes, I know so so well what you mean.
The thing with privilege is that if you blag your way into something and then eff it up, it doesn’t really matter. Such is your self confidence that you waltz off and the next day blag your way into something else. Nobody – not you, not your peers – is concerned about this. Cos you and your peers think that’s how everyone does it.
But if you’re not privileged, you think you have to be qualified, prepared, deserving, and you’re always unsure that you’re any of these things.
I don’t say that holds for everyone and everything, but I do think it’s commonplace. And I honestly think that’s the main thing a posh education gave me – not the education itself, but the lack of self doubt.
@Sixer, quite true. Lack of self-doubt did not rubb off on me completely, but the idea that I can speak my way out of certain kinds of situations because I know how to speak in a certain way – if you know what I mean – yes. And the notion that no matter how you mess up, there is always something out there.
So, confidence, but no self-confidence, as it were.
Eh, I was an only child who went to posh private schools and it was the CAUSE of my imposter syndrome. I was constantly told I was less than, had no academic skill, no brains and I should stay in my lane as a performer and leave the academics to the other kids, who were the children of lawyers and doctors and millionaires. I did get encouragement in high school but by then it was far too late to undo the damage.
When I went to uni and actually got good grades, really good grades (in science-based courses, no less) I felt like I was a massive fraud. In fact, when my school invited me into its honour society I actually called and asked if they were sure because it was my first semester and yes, I got a high distinction, but how could I possibly qualify after one good grade? It was because I was in the top 15% of my major, but I still felt like I’d somehow cheated my way there. I STILL feel that way in spite of continued good grades. I’ll always make excuses for it, like ‘it’s a small class’ or ‘well, I’ve been independently studying this subject for ages’, I don’t think I will ever be able to break that feeling of being a fraud, and yet I would be devastated if I ever got less than what I consider an acceptable grade for myself.
That is not always the case. Plenty of women from privileged backgrounds experience impostor syndrome.
I read somewhere that the cleverer you are the more likely you are to have imposter syndrome.
Because you know how incredibly gifted some people are, because you understand your responsibilities.
And Viola is intelligent.
Adding to that the incredibly difficult childhood she had, and being a minority, I don’t find it hard to believe she feels that way.
“I read somewhere that the cleverer you are the more likely you are to have imposter syndrome”
Dunning Kruger effect:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which low-ability individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability as much higher than it really is.
the dumber you are the more confident in your abilities you are.
Every accomplished person I talked to basicaclly told me: The more you know the more you realize how little you actually know.
That’s EXACTLY it.
Funny, isn’t it.
Flipside: humble bones, perhaps a little empathy.
“The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which low-ability individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability as much higher than it really is.”
Exhibit A: Donald Trump.
I’ve always found the Dunning-Kruger effect quite fascinating. My mum swears she sees it every day in her job.
Oh errr… yeah.
People are to kind to call him mentally unstable or ill.
That’s taking away the responsability.
He is dumb and narcissistic.
“never allow other people to validate you”
Which is impossible for actors. I tihnk its totally normal for actors to feel that way because there is no way to have proof of your acting abilities and you will get turned down so often. And acting in Hollywood is way more about how you look than your skill anyway.
Yes, I see what you mean.
But having kids who are dancers and do auditions for schools and companies and working with artists myself, the validation also comes from a place of the “employer” or casting director or head teacher envisaging a certain kind of person and, although you do not get accepeted, it doesn’t mean you are not talented.
Just not the right fit.
It’s empowering to think like that. I am ok, just not my place.
But perhaps not always the right attitude if other issues come into play such as race or gender – as in, you’re belittled for something that does not have anything to do with your talent.
I think you’re right.
I listen to a lot of actor interviews on podcasts, and soooo many of them have moments of imposter syndrome. It may have more to do with race, gender, class, etc in the world as a whole, but I think in the acting world it can hit anyone and everyone.
It depends a lot on the feedback you get. When I was a kid I was constantly validated as an actor by my peers and mentors and constantly told I was thick as two short planks academically. As a consequence the only thing I ever felt capable of was acting (so if I didn’t get a job I couldn’t care less and it never dented my confidence) and to this day I suffer from crippling imposter syndrome when it comes to my real passion, which is forensic science.
I felt like this when I finished university with First Class Honors. It made me really uncomfortable for some reason. I felt like I didn’t study hard enough for it and wondered if my papers were graded correctly. Especially in a law exam where I finished an hour earlier than everyone else because I didn’t know what else to write (got an A…how?)Getting past that feeling slowly now
“I’m sure musicians, poets, engineers, teachers, and all sorts of people in other professions celebrate life in their work.”
But… some of those professions were included in her line. She was talking about the arts in general, not just acting.
I read women tend to have this. Personally also speaking for myself after my promotions.
A healthy level of self-doubt is necessary if a person wants to excel. You never get good at anything if you already think you’re perfect. (*ahem*, Cheetolini.)
The converse is also true, of course. You can’t get anywhere if you de-moralize yourself at every turn. You need a skittery combination of confidence and faith in yourself coupled with a grounded understanding that there’s always room for improvement, so you should never stop trying to improve.
I never knew about this, but now that I do, yes, I have impostor syndrome. That explains so much.
I love what she said: “self-deprecation is not the answer to humility.” WORD.
It’s funny, but I was actually thinking about impostor syndrome after the LA LA Land / Moonlight mix up Monday. My totally unscientific opinion is that Hollywood has a higher rate of impostor syndrome than most people, partially because it’s such an arbitrary career. So to have an award given and then taken away? I feel like that probably went to the hearts of a lot of that audience, regardless of their feelings about the movies or the people behind them.