Some of the greatest minds in history, including Albert Einstein and Maya Angelou, believed they hadn’t earned their accolades or positions in society. Recent studies have revealed this mindset is much more common than we might think. Einstein once said he felt like “an involuntary swindler,” whilst Angelou worried that people would eventually discover she wasn’t as talented as they believed.
It wasn’t until the late 20th century that this mindset was properly understood and coined ‘Imposter Syndrome‘. This phenomenon affects millions of people worldwide, making them feel like frauds despite their genuine achievements and capabilities.
This article will do a deep dive into imposter syndrome, exploring what it is, why it happens, and most importantly, how you can overcome it. Understanding these feelings is the first step towards building genuine confidence in your abilities and achievements.
What Is Imposter Syndrome And How Do I Overcome It?
Imposter syndrome is the persistent feeling that you’re not as competent as others perceive you to be, and that you’ll eventually be exposed as a “fraud.” Despite evidence of your skills and accomplishments, you attribute your success to luck rather than ability and live in fear of being found out.
This psychological pattern affects people from all walks of life, including successful professionals, students, and high achievers who, on paper, have every reason to feel confident about their abilities.
Understanding imposter syndrome can help you recognise these patterns in yourself and develop strategies to overcome them. This article will explore:
- Understanding Imposter Syndrome
- Types Of Imposter Syndrome
- Do I Have Imposter Syndrome?
- Causes Of Imposter Syndrome
- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Understanding Imposter Syndrome
The term imposter syndrome was coined by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978. Dr Clance first noticed a pattern of persistent self-doubt in many of her high-achieving students at Oberlin College. Despite their academic success, these students consistently felt they didn’t belong and would eventually be exposed as intellectual frauds.
Dr Clance conducted the first formal study into this phenomenon, initially focusing on high-achieving women who struggled to accept their accomplishments. She found two main patterns of imposter-related thinking in her initial research, but since then it’s become clear that this mindset impacts a huge number of people in different ways, regardless of gender, background, or field of work.
Studies suggest that around 60% of Britons display signs of imposter syndrome, making it an incredibly common experience. This means that more than half of the people around you have likely experienced these feelings at some point in their lives.
What makes imposter syndrome particularly challenging is that it often affects people who are genuinely competent and successful. The more accomplished someone becomes, the more they may feel like they’re deceiving others about their true abilities.
Symptoms of Imposter Syndrome
- Difficulty Accepting Praise: When someone compliments your work or achievements, you deflect the praise or immediately point out flaws in what you’ve done. You find it uncomfortable when people acknowledge your skills or successes.
- Highly Critical Of Yourself: You focus intensely on your mistakes whilst downplaying your successes. You set impossibly high standards for yourself and feel like a failure when you don’t meet them perfectly.
- Downplay Achievements: You attribute your successes to luck, timing, or other external factors rather than your own skills and hard work. You convince yourself that anyone could have done what you did.
- Feel As If Those Around You Are More Intelligent: You constantly compare yourself to others and assume everyone else is more capable, knowledgeable, or deserving than you are. You feel like you’re the least qualified person in the room.
- Believe Your Success Is Down To Luck: You’re convinced that your achievements are the result of being in the right place at the right time, rather than your abilities, preparation, or effort.
Types Of Imposter Syndrome
Further research into imposter syndrome by Dr. Valerie Young has identified that imposter syndrome manifests in different ways. She breaks it down into five distinct types, each with its own characteristics and triggers:
- The Perfectionist: This type believes that unless they were perfect, they could’ve done better. Perfectionists struggle with any sign of failure or mistake, no matter how small. They set excessively high standards and feel shame when they fall short, interpreting any setback as evidence that they’re not good enough.
- The Expert: This type feels like an imposter because they don’t know everything there is to know about their field. They fear being exposed as inexperienced or unknowledgeable, even when they have substantial expertise. They may avoid applying for jobs unless they meet 100% of the qualifications.
- The Natural Genius: This type feels like a fraud if they don’t master something the first time around. They judge their success based on ease and speed rather than effort. If they have to work hard at something or need time to develop skills, they interpret this as evidence of their inadequacy.
- The Soloist: This type believes they’re an imposter because they asked for help. They think needing assistance or collaboration is a sign of weakness or incompetence. They prefer to struggle alone rather than seek support, viewing independence as the only legitimate path to success.
- The Superperson: This type believes they’re an imposter if they weren’t the hardest working person in the group. They measure their success against their ability to excel in all areas of life simultaneously, often leading to burnout as they try to be the perfect employee, partner, parent, and friend all at once.
Do I Have Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is not a recognised mental health disorder in the DSM-5, but it is an extremely common psychological pattern that can significantly impact your wellbeing and success. Unlike clinical conditions, imposter syndrome exists on a spectrum, and most people experience it to some degree at various points in their lives.
Here are some key questions to help you identify whether you might be experiencing imposter syndrome:
Do You Agonise Over the Smallest Mistakes?
If you spend hours replaying minor errors in your head, beating yourself up over things others would barely notice, this could be a sign of imposter syndrome. You might interpret small mistakes as evidence that you’re not qualified for your role.
Are You Sensitive To Criticism?
Do you take feedback extremely personally, even when it’s constructive? People with imposter syndrome often interpret any criticism as confirmation of their fears about being inadequate or fraudulent.
Do You Feel Like You’ll Be Found Out Eventually?
This is one of the hallmark signs of imposter syndrome. You live with a constant fear that people will discover you’re not as capable as they think, and you’ll be exposed as a fraud.
Do You Downplay Your Expertise?
When people ask for your opinion or advice in your area of expertise, do you deflect or suggest they ask someone else? You might consistently underestimate your knowledge and experience.
Do You Have Difficulty Assessing Your Skills Realistically?
You might struggle to recognise your own competence, consistently rating your abilities lower than others would rate them.
Do You Set Unrealistic Goals and Beat Yourself Up When You Fall Short?
If you consistently set impossible standards for yourself and interpret anything less than perfection as failure, this could indicate imposter syndrome.
If you recognise several of these patterns in yourself, you’re likely experiencing some form of imposter syndrome. Remember, having these feelings doesn’t make you weak or unusual—it makes you human.
Causes Of Imposter Syndrome
As research around imposter syndrome has developed, we’ve begun to understand that it can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Often, it’s not just one thing but a combination of influences that contribute to these feelings.
- Upbringing: Your childhood experiences play a significant role in developing imposter syndrome. If you grew up in a family that placed heavy emphasis on achievement, criticism, or comparison to others, you might have internalised the belief that your worth is tied to being perfect. Alternatively, if you were constantly praised for being “naturally gifted” rather than for your effort, you might struggle when things don’t come easily.
- Social Media: Research has shown that social media use can contribute to imposter syndrome by creating unrealistic standards for comparison. Constantly seeing curated highlight reels of other people’s lives and achievements can make you feel like everyone else has it figured out whilst you’re struggling.
- Setting: Imposter syndrome is particularly common in academic environments, where there’s constant evaluation and comparison. The competitive nature of universities, research institutions, and high-pressure workplaces can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy, especially when you’re surrounded by other high achievers.
- Personality: Studies suggest that certain personality traits, such as perfectionism, anxiety, and low self-esteem, can make you more susceptible to imposter syndrome. If you naturally tend towards self-criticism or have high standards for yourself, you might be more likely to experience these feelings.
- Being Different: Research indicates that people who are underrepresented in their field—whether due to race, gender, age, background, or other factors—are more likely to experience imposter syndrome. When you don’t see many people who look like you or share your background in successful positions, it can be harder to believe you belong there.
Understanding what might have contributed to your imposter syndrome can help you address it more effectively. Remember that these causes don’t excuse the feelings, but they can help explain why they developed.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
The good news is that there are many proven tools and techniques to help you overcome feelings of being an imposter. Whilst it might take time and practice, you can learn to recognise these thought patterns and develop a more realistic and positive view of your abilities.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
The first step is to come to terms with the fact that you feel like an imposter and accept that this is how you’re currently feeling. Don’t judge yourself for having these thoughts—they’re more common than you might think. Recognising the pattern is the first step towards changing it.
Talk About It
This is often one of the most effective ways to overcome imposter syndrome. When you share your feelings with trusted friends, colleagues, or family members, you’ll often discover that many of them have experienced similar doubts. Talking about it helps normalise the experience and reduces the isolation that often accompanies these feelings.
Find a Mentor
Working with someone who has more experience in your field can provide valuable perspective on your abilities and achievements. A good mentor can help you see your strengths more clearly and provide guidance on navigating challenges without falling into imposter syndrome thinking patterns.
Seek Support
Professional support can be incredibly helpful for overcoming imposter syndrome. Therapy approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and group therapy have been found to be particularly effective at challenging the negative thought patterns that fuel imposter syndrome. These approaches help you develop more realistic assessments of your abilities and build genuine confidence.
Group therapy can be especially powerful because it allows you to see that others struggle with similar feelings, whilst CBT helps you identify and change the specific thought patterns that maintain imposter syndrome. Both approaches have strong research support for treating the anxiety and self-doubt that characterise these feelings.
Remember, overcoming imposter syndrome is a process, not a destination. Even after you’ve made significant progress, you might still occasionally experience these feelings, especially in new or challenging situations. The key is developing the tools to recognise and address them when they arise.
Wave Goodbye To Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is an incredibly common experience that affects people from all backgrounds and at all levels of success. From Albert Einstein to Maya Angelou, even the most accomplished individuals have struggled with feelings of being fraudulent or undeserving of their achievements.
Understanding that these feelings are normal and recognisable can help you begin to address them. Whether you identify as the perfectionist, the expert, the natural genius, the soloist, or the superperson, there are effective strategies for overcoming the self-doubt and fear that characterise imposter syndrome.
If you’re struggling with imposter syndrome and want professional support to overcome these feelings, the LADZ app connects you with qualified therapists and counsellors who understand these challenges. Whether you’re interested in CBT, group therapy, or other approaches, you can find experienced professionals ready to help you build genuine confidence and overcome self-doubt. Download the LADZ app today and take the first step towards recognising your true worth and capabilities.
