Reasons for success

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Getting up on stage to make the audience laugh at your own jokes takes a hell of a lot of courage, or maybe even a bit of madness. Those who manage to do so are not necessarily fully aware of their potential. For some, success is purely a matter of luck, of being in the right place at the right time, but not because of your skills or your work. Thinking that you don't belong, that you haven't earned your promotion or success in life, has a name: imposter syndrome. As part of the Festrogen festival, which promotes women in stand-up comedy, a workshop was held a few weeks ago to discuss this syndrome. Women from all walks of life took part. To better understand what is happening to them, and above all to realise that they may not be alone in doubting their skills and failing to savour their successes.

Alexandra Neves is a coach. She trained as a psychologist, specialising in social and organisational work. She uses cognitive therapy and positive psychology tools in her coaching. "I work on self-awareness, assertive communication, injunctions, limiting beliefs and liberating beliefs in this area. I've also started to work on the issue of imposter syndrome", explains the woman who led the workshop for the Festrogen association. For her, it was important to run this workshop, because the syndrome is still little-known: "I think it's something we don't talk about enough, and it's so normalised. Everyone experiences it at some point in their lives, more or less intensely. It's almost perverse, because you feel it as an individual, as if it were unique to you. You're afraid to talk about it, but in the end, when you finally dare, you realise that everyone feels more or less the same way."