Overcome imposter syndrome in a surprising way

Without sounding like a cheesy late-night commercial, how many of these ring true?

• Do you stress over minor mistakes or imperfections in your work?
• Do you believe your success is due to luck or external influences?
• Are you highly sensitive to constructive criticism?
• Do you feel like it’s only a matter of time before you’re exposed as a fraud?
• Do you undervalue your own expertise, even in areas where you’re genuinely more skilled than others?

If you nodded your head along to a few of those, you’ve probably guessed that you may have experienced imposter syndrome, or as I prefer to call it, imposter phenomenon—because “syndrome” implies there’s something wrong.

Whereas, in imposter phenomenon, it’s so common that about 70 per cent of people experience it. So it’s quite common. Basically, it’s that feeling of being found out, even when you have the credentials or experiences.

I wanted to chat a bit about that today and shine a light on what’s really going on.

A bit of history

The term was coined back in the 1970s by two researchers, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. They noticed that many high-achieving women felt like their success was due to luck or charm, but not their own abilities.

But here’s the thing—it’s not just women who experience this. Recent research shows that everyone experiences it.

Traits linked to imposter phenomenon

Research has identified many personality traits linked to the imposter phenomenon, such as neuroticism, low self-esteem, and perfectionism.

There’s also older research showing that introversion may be linked to imposter phenomenon. But, in more recent studies, there’s an indication that extroversion is negatively correlated, meaning the more extroverted someone is, the less likely they are to feel like an imposter.

And there’s always that ever-present self-doubt, where people worry that someone will see through the façade.

A defence mechanism?

As a psychodynamic therapist, I can’t help but see it as a kind of defence mechanism. The phenomenon protects individuals from deeper feelings of inadequacy or even fear of success, by maintaining the belief they are frauds and will eventually get found out.

It’s a bit of a paradox, right? The phenomenon shields people from the anxiety of owning their achievements, as well as the responsibilities that come with those successes. By maintaining the belief that they are frauds, people avoid confronting the anxiety associated with truly owning their achievements and the responsibilities that come with success.

Early childhood experiences

Of course, early childhood experiences can play a part. For instance, children who are praised solely for achievements, rather than effort, may develop a fragile sense of self-worth, tying their value to what they do, rather than who they are.

Those early experiences can lead to shame and contribute to the development of imposter syndrome. Family dynamics could also play a role, particularly if self-esteem was built around living up to an idealised image.

Interestingly, some research suggests that people with imposter phenomenon have decent self-esteem overall, but struggle specifically in areas of achievement. They may be driven by performance goals—wanting to look smart, rather than grow and learn—which leads to anxiety and stress, as their self-worth becomes tied to external validation.

The “as-if” personality

In psychoanalytic literature, there’s a concept called the “as-if” personality. It describes people who act in a way they believe others expect, rather than from their true selves. They’ve played a role their whole lives, constantly adjusting their behaviour to fit what they thought was accepted or admired, rather than acting from a place of authenticity.

When I think about this, it reminds me of my experience during my master’s degree. I felt like I had to act “as if” I was a psychologist, even though I was one. I behaved in ways that were against the type of therapist I wanted to be, just to fit in.

This led to ridiculous amounts of self-doubt and feelings of being an imposter. And the truth is, I was being a fraud. It’s a tough way to live.

Self-efficacy: A powerful antidote

This leads me to self-efficacy—the belief in your ability to succeed. Research shows that the imposter phenomenon is negatively correlated with self-efficacy. In other words, the higher our imposter feelings, the lower our belief in our own capabilities.

Building self-efficacy can be a powerful antidote. It involves trusting your abilities and recognising that you can achieve what you set out to do. When we believe in ourselves, we’re more likely to take on new challenges and persist, without tying our self-worth to the outcome.

What can you do?

So, where does that leave us? Are we stuck with this icky feeling forever? Are we doomed to do power poses in bathroom stalls and give ourselves pep talks in the mirror for the rest of our lives?

Well, I’m sure you’re wondering what you can do. As a therapist, my answer is always:

Understand yourself.

Which, I know, probably isn’t the quick fix you were hoping for. I’m sure you were expecting a neat seven-step guide to eradicating imposter syndrome forever. But no, that’s not exactly how it works.

What can be helpful is having self-compassion and recognising that imposter feelings are common. We often think we’re the exception—that everyone else has it together, and we’re the only ones struggling. But that’s not true.

Lean into the feeling

Here’s a thought: instead of pushing the imposter feelings away, try leaning into them. What are they really telling you?

Maybe it’s not about you as a person, but about a lack of support or experience in a particular area. Or maybe what you’re doing is out of alignment with your values.

Instead of covering up the feeling with positive mantras, listen to it. There could be something important there.

Surround yourself with support

Finally, something I think is wildly underrated: surround yourself with supportive people. And not just people who are always telling you, “You’re the best!”—but people who are honest about their own struggles. It helps to know you’re not alone in feeling this way.

Keep showing up

At the end of the day, what matters most is that you keep showing up and doing what you love.