The Psychological Cost of Upward Mobility

OPINION

Imposter syndrome is a widespread phenomenon for many first-generation professionals and students. Even after working hard to find our place, some of us are never certain that we belong or have earned our honors or jobs.  This persistent feeling of insecurity is often summarized by the phrase, “making it can feel like faking it.” It sheds light on the specific and often latent emotional cost of upward mobility.

It is not a mere theoretical notion for most, but a deeply experienced one. A first-generation professional like me, for instance, will spend a lifetime shuttling between the requirements of two extremely different worlds. In one, to be successful is to be professionally successful and speak the language of academe. In the other, success is a silent withdrawal from the familiar community and fundamental values of the country of origin we grew up in. This cultural dissonance is accompanied by anxiety, because navigating the corporate or university workplace feels more like learning a second language than actually being there. This individual dissonance is a sign of an underlying identity conflict, causing ordinary interactions, from working together in a team meeting to mingling with fellow professionals during a conference, to feel like a scripted routine.

The challenges of moving up in the world  require more than adaptation. They are a measurable psychological weight, a finding supported by research, The Myth of Social Mobility: Subjective Social Mobility and Mental Health published in Sage Journals. The researchers directly counter the widespread myth that happiness is always achieved through success using the framework of subjective social mobility. They point out that success does not always lead to increased well-being. That’s often because the perception of climbing up gives rise to new psychological issues, rather than resolving the existing ones. They suggest upward mobility creates dire psychological distress, including heightened stress and issues of identity and those who suffer the consequences may require psychological help.

Ultimately, upward mobility’s path is complex. The reality contradicts the simplistic notion that diligence by itself will reap peace of mind. For success to be lasting it would help if institutions actively affirm the message that first-generation members belong and have worked their way here. Colleges and Universities, for example need to provide robust mental health services and explicitly recognize the emotional cost to students who try to succeed. By creating a space where their value is unconditionally validated, we can help these students and workers shift from constantly “faking it” to confidently asserting their place.

This essay was supported and written in collaboration with the Social Mobility Lab in the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership.

Sketch Plantations illustration courtesy Creative Commons license.