By Chris Bates M.Ost DipAO
Are you an animal professional? Have you ever had that creeping feeling that you are not good enough?
Working with animals feels like a calling for many and has deep meaning for those who undertake an animal-based career. This is why it can be deeply unsettling when feelings of inadequacy crop up.
"I'm not as competent as people think." "It's only a matter of time until I'm found out as a fraud."
Sound familiar? If it does, then read on and let's investigate why.
What Is Imposter Syndrome in Animal Professionals?
It's that internal voice that tells you, "who do you think you are?"
Imposter syndrome is irritatingly persistent, telling you that you don't have the knowledge or the skill, or that you are falling way behind your clients' expectations and soon you will be found out. It might make you continually second guess yourself, compare yourself to others, or try to overwork just to prove your worth to people.
The Certification Trap
Some people with imposter syndrome will chase certifications one after the other because it seems like a way to obtain validation. While doing this, they never actually commit to the principles of the certification they did to get into the career.
Obviously there is nothing wrong with gaining more knowledge — continued development is part of being an animal professional. The problem arises when it's not done for the right reasons. When people are doing it to prove "worth" or validate themselves, this becomes a perpetual cycle of inadequacy, as there are always more certifications you can do (but should you?).
When the Most Experienced Professionals Struggle Most
Some people with imposter syndrome are ironically the most experienced and capable out there. However, they might avoid high-stakes work or even any work due to their feelings of lack. They might avoid situations where they might be put in front of other professionals for fear of being judged in comparison.
All the while, any praise from their clients can just bounce right off them rather than feed their confidence. It can feel to those with imposter syndrome like there is an invisible wall that won't allow any positive reinforcement in.
Why Do Animal Professionals Suffer From Imposter Syndrome So Often?
The Challenge of Working With Non-Verbal Patients
The unique part of the animal industry is that animals cannot "speak" for themselves. Obviously they have plenty of other ways of communicating, but without proper knowledge of animal behaviour — which most of the general public don't have — these communications can go misunderstood and often badly misinterpreted.
As professionals, we can spot and understand these behaviours, but owners might have a different opinion, often based on little to no credible knowledge. This discrepancy can be difficult to overcome if the owner has strongly held beliefs, even when we give a full breakdown of what we are observing and expecting.
With horse owners, it is not uncommon to hear them talk about naughty horses or blaming the horse for their behaviour. Professionally we know there is always a reason for behaviours and that they don't suddenly just decide to be difficult. Understanding how owner perception and cognitive bias shape what clients see and believe can help you contextualise this challenge rather than internalise it as your own failure.
The Comparison Problem
Comparison is a huge problem in the animal industry. One can look at another and immediately think that they have something we don't.
We judge ourselves on what we see elsewhere — by what other professionals are doing. Sometimes we might not even agree with the ethics, principles or methods of the other person but still somehow think that they have higher status or power than us. Social media has catapulted this problem into overdrive and many animal professionals will host large followings, making us feel further inadequacies.
Information Overload and Unrealistic Benchmarks
There is always new research and evidence in any discipline. Keeping up with the evidence and knowledge can seem overwhelming and sometimes can initiate that feeling of not being good enough. It can appear that however much you learn, you never know enough. We end up setting ourselves unrealistic benchmarks.
Difficult People in the Animal Industry
Unfortunately there are areas of the animal industry that are prone to "difficult people" showing up. This is the polite way of saying that there are those who seek to down-tread others to put themselves on a pedestal. Of course, this is a sure-fire way to reduce your self-esteem and confidence.
The horse industry is famous for people valuing opinion over evidence or education. As we all know in our current political climate, opinion can have huge power despite being wrong or cruel. In freelance work — something many of us do — travelling around to various locations, it is not unusual for another so-called "professional" to act very unprofessionally and bad mouth you or make out that you are not what that client needs.
Signs You May Have Imposter Syndrome
Do any of these sound familiar?
- You think any career advancement you get or positive outcome is more luck than judgement.
- You lose faith in your modality or techniques.
- You are burnt out, physically and emotionally.
- Obsessing over mistakes, even the most minor ones.
- Avoiding further training for fear of being "on display."
- Anxiety and panic around even the most routine of work.
- Career stagnation — you feel like your work isn't really going anywhere.
- Overworking to find validation, or committing to too much and then not being able to keep up, leading to eventual burnout.
- Mental health strain.
What About Everyone Else?
What about them indeed… Who cares? You certainly shouldn't.
The crazy irony of this whole situation with comparison to others is that they are probably feeling the same way much of the time. If somebody puts you down, you need to question why.
The only motivations for putting someone down would be a genuine dislike of that person or feeling inadequate yourself and not having the strength to better yourself instead. People who cut you down so they appear higher are either incapable of self-reflection and betterment, or they are malicious. Either way, that actually means they are the ones who lack — not you.
So essentially there are two types of damaging characteristics: the imposter syndrome, and the opposite — the one who cuts others down due to their own sense of lack.
Giving Headspace to Those Who Deserve It
There will always be those who disagree with you. Wasting time thinking about what they think will draw you away from your actual passion, which is working with the animals. It's unhelpful to give them space in your mind rent free.
The key to overcoming the troubling feelings is reflection — something the other people often lack. Firstly, reflect on their knowledge: do they actually know what they are talking about and do they know what you do? Next, reflect on them as a person and professional: do you like them? Do you respect them? Do they have good results? (Results, not owner opinions.)
Next, reflect on that information. If the answers were "no" to all of the above, then they deserve none of your brain power worrying. If they have something constructive to offer, then perhaps approach them to impart that information whilst ensuring they understand that talking to you first — not owners — is the professional thing to do.
There is always someone who has more experience, knows something cool and learned a special technique. Their progress doesn't diminish your usefulness. The value of what you provide is still there and remains unchanged. Put your thoughts into being the best version of what you are rather than obsessing that you have to "match" everyone else.
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome as an Animal Professional
Forgive Yourself First
You must forgive yourself for feeling this way and not see it as a weakness. People with imposter syndrome, while having to suffer the bad aspects, are also more likely to be conscientious and careful. They are more likely to be aware of limitations and not put people and animals at risk. Imposter syndrome can be awful, but it can also be evidence that you are only trying to provide the best.
Keep a Record of Your Wins
It can be hugely beneficial to have a record of positives to look back on, as we often forget just how far we have come. Rather than comparing ourselves to others, we can compare ourselves to our past self and see how we have progressed.
You can keep records of your certifications and continued professional development. Keep thank you messages that clients may have given you. Make a note of the nice things said about your work in a journal. Within that journal you can also record particularly successful work — but remember that successful does not just mean one thing. Success could even be completing a day of work without the imposter syndrome creeping in. Whenever you get moments of doubt, you can go back over your records.
Don't Identify Completely With Your Work
It's so easy to refer to myself as "Chris the Osteopath," for example. However, I'm also Chris the person. When we take too much of our identity from what we do for work, the imposter syndrome creeps into our personal life and affects us far deeper. It is wonderful to have a calling or a passion for your work, but you are still you beyond that.
Find a Mentor You Trust
Having another person to bounce ideas off is a massive benefit to being a professional in any industry. If you are a service provider working with animals, an experienced voice to help guide you and to offer wisdom will allow you to direct your career appropriately and also voice your own concerns.
Someone looking at you from the outside may see all the positive things that your imposter syndrome is drowning out. If you're exploring what a structured mentored pathway looks like, understanding what a career in animal osteopathy involves can also provide a useful framework for professional identity.
Prioritise Self-Care to Prevent Burnout
Burnout is real and imposter syndrome will speed it up! The vicious cycle is that if we are feeling burnt out, the imposter syndrome is louder because our reserves are too low to overcome it. Ensure that you make self-care an important part of your life. It could be getting away from time to time, booking a massage, meeting with friends and family, or just taking time for yourself with a good book.
Keep Learning — The Right Way
This doesn't mean keep chasing certifications. Any career improves when you realise and accept that we are always students. Continual learning can be about enhancing your understanding of your own profession, not adding continuous certifications.
When people gain certification after certification, their professional identity becomes confusing — people won't know what they actually do and may not trust their abilities. It is great to have multiple strings to your bow if you have the energy, but try to get great at what you do before diversifying. If you keep starting new paths, you never get anywhere in any of them.
Your Work Matters
It is important to remember that people will choose to use your services because it's you, not just because of certificates and letters after your name. Your experience is valuable and that includes everything, even before you started your animal career professionally.
If you try to be someone you are not, you will end up with clients you don't want to work with. Be genuinely and authentically yourself and you will develop the career you want. It is always good to remain open-minded and accept constructive advice, but be conscious about who you accept that advice from.
Remember what drove you to choosing this career initially and regain that spark of passion.
You don't need to be great to start, but you need to start to be great.
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