Imposter Syndrome

Have you ever felt like you don’t deserve the role you’re in or the work you’re doing? That everyone around you has more skill and experience, and they’ve let you into their circle by mistake? That at any moment, they’re going to realize you have no clue what you’re doing—recognize you as a fraud—and kick you out? If so, you’re part of the 70% of people who experience imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern that leads individuals to doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as incompetent, despite a real-world track record of success.

One of the most challenging aspects of imposter syndrome is that it is a deeply ingrained mental pattern. It often occurs in the privacy of your own mind, making it feel like you’re the only one experiencing it.

Common Mental Patterns Associated with Imposter Syndrome:

• Discounting and diminishing obvious evidence of your abilities
• Believing that everyone in your position is more skilled
• Comparing yourself to people you admire for their success because “They clearly don’t feel this way.”
• Avoiding new challenges due to fear of being “found out”

These mental patterns can lead to counterproductive behaviors in the real world, such as:

• Avoiding new challenges
• Procrastination
• Shame-spiraling when encountering struggles or failure

Imposter syndrome is difficult to manage because many people believe they should feel confident at all times. However, as evidenced by the large number of affected individuals, this is an unrealistic goal. A more practical approach is to change your relationship with imposter syndrome and reframe the mental patterns associated with it.

Steps to Overcome Imposter Syndrome:

• Acknowledge and talk about your feelings. While this won’t eliminate imposter syndrome, it can help normalize your experience. Creating space to discuss these feelings allows you to begin reframing them.
• Create a new goal. Accept that you won’t feel confident 100% of the time. Instead, work to understand which situations trigger imposter syndrome and develop strategies to manage them.
• Write out your accomplishments. While not a permanent solution, documenting real-world evidence of your achievements can help counteract negative thought spirals.
• Identify real skill gaps. If you’ve been tasked with something new and challenging, there are likely areas where you can improve. Identifying these areas and creating a plan to address them can help you view imposter syndrome as an opportunity for growth.

Normalize it for others. If you are a leader in your organization, discussing imposter syndrome openly can have a meaningful impact on your team and peers. It can negatively affect performance, especially if your team feels they can’t talk about it.