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It's not unusual for even the most gifted, talented, or tenacious of us to feel like we do not "fit the picture" of what success "should" look like. At times, we may even feel unworthy of being complimented or praised for how far we've come, and positive feedback or taking pride in our own success can stir up these feelings.

While others may attribute our success to natural genius or boundless self confidence, we know that our story is more complicated than that; riddled with mistakes, self doubt, and simply living as flawed imperfect human beings, to name a few.

But because we know ourselves better than anyone, overestimating the importance of these normal stepping stones to greatness is why capable people suffer from imposter syndrome. Despite sounding like somewhat of a buzzword, imposter syndrome is very real and a serious mental health problem if left unaddressed. Even though self doubt and occasional threads of negative evaluation are normal parts of personal growth and development, letting almost constant inner criticism overshadow your wins is a surefire method to undermine your own success.

But here’s the truth: you belong where you are.

Imposter feelings are common, but they don't have to dictate your self worth or your ability to enjoy your successes when they happen. In this blog post, I want to offer a fresh perspective and take you through the steps towards understanding imposter syndrome, what types may be impacting your goals, and concrete actions you can take to regaining control over your self confidence and allowing yourself to feel secure, grounded, and centered in your place in the world.

Understanding Imposter Syndrome

At some point during the process of personal growth, many of us have found ourselves doubting our abilities, questioning our successes, or feeling like we’re just one misstep away from being "found out." This pervasive experience, known as imposter syndrome, affects individuals across all fields and stages of their careers.

Coined in 1970, imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where otherwise high-achieving individuals experience feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and fear of being exposed as a fraud.

It can manifest in different ways, including a fear of being found out, a fear of not being good enough, and a fear of not being able to replicate past successes. Oftentimes, these fears lead to feelings of overwhelming anxiety, depression, or self-doubt, and can pose a major roadblock towards further personal and professional growth.

Many psychological circles in recent years have studied both the emotional and physical outcomes associated with imposter syndrome, but the cornerstone of the syndrome is a pervasive inability to internalize one's own success and attributing it to external factors such as luck. Research shows that people with imposter syndrome often engage in negative self-talk, develop low self-esteem, and constantly battle a fear of failure.

Types of Imposter Syndrome

Like many catch-all terms, imposter syndrome can appear in one of 5 known types, each with their own unique presentations of imposter syndrome and impact on one's perception of their mistakes and successes.

The Perfectionist

You've likely heard the term, "perfectionist" before, but in the context of imposter syndrome, it refers to an individual preoccupied with setting impossibly high standards for themselves, and feel like a fraud after committing even a minor error.

When these people fail to live up to these standards in any way (and because they are impossible, it is inevitable that they will fail), it only serves to confirm their imposter feelings.

The Superhero

The Superhero subtype of imposter syndrome is characterized by a person who believes that their competence is determined by how many simultaneous things they can balance and master at once. Not only can they handle many things, they excel at all of them.

They make "being unstoppable" a key aspect of their identity, and have difficulty saying "no" to additional tasks, believing that if they are truly competent, they can handle anything.

The Expert

The Expert is convinced that their worth lies in how much knowledge or skill they possess, and are never satisfied with what they already know or are good at. They tend to set an arbitrary threshold of knowledge or experience that they must acquire before deeming themselves "good enough".

They are preoccupied with thoughts that success is something you need to already be studied for and able to understand immediately, rather than a journey of learning as one goes.

The Soloist

The lone wolf of the types of imposter syndrome, the Soloist believes that the only worthwhile accomplishments are those completed alone. Their version of proving their worth is to accomplish large, complex tasks on their own without outside help.

Their feelings of being an imposter are often brought up when they need help to complete a task, often doubting themselves and thinking that if they were truly capable, they could complete the task on their own.

The Natural Genius

The Natural Genius believes that real capability means already having innate talent or knowledge, and that their success should feel effortless. They believe that if they are not an imposter, they should be able to master any new skill with minimal effort, and eschew hard work as a sign of fraud.

In essence, their imposter syndrome is rooted in the belief that if they were not an imposter, new tasks should not be so hard.

Understanding the different types of imposter syndrome can help individuals identify their own experiences and develop strategies to overcome them. Recognizing these root causes of imposter syndrome, such as perfectionism and high expectations, can help individuals develop more effective coping strategies and build confidence in their abilities.

Causes and Symptoms

Causes

Imposter syndrome doesn’t occur in a vacuum, but its causes are often fairly consistent across individuals. Whether rooted in childhood, the workplace, or our own insecurities, recognizing the causes of imposter syndrome can help us begin to address its solutions.

Like many mental health challenges, imposter syndrome is often shaped by a combination of personal and environmental factors.

  1. Upbringing: Depending on your household, you may have been expected to bring home only A-plus scores, or gold trophies from every competition. Achievement was praised, while effort was rarely acknowledged. I'm being extreme here, but oftentimes being raised in environments with high expectations or receiving inconsistent feedback can contribute to feelings of inadequacy in adulthood.
  2. Workplace Culture: Competitive or toxic environments that prioritize perfection over growth can amplify self-doubt, especially when demands are high and support is low. Employees may internalize their failures as being due to a lack of ability, rather than a genuine lack of a supportive work environment.
  3. Stereotypes and Bias: Systemic biases related to gender, race, or other identities can make individuals feel they must prove their worth repeatedly. For example, successful women may struggle with feelings of needing to "prove" themselves in male-dominated spaces.
  4. Internalized Perfectionism: A deep-seated desire to achieve flawless results can set unrealistic standards throughout life, and this desire may be difficult to separate out from a genuine desire to do well versus a maladaptive compulsion to never fail.

Symptoms

Imposter syndrome often reveals itself through both mental and physical symptoms:

  • Chronic and pervasive self-doubt, even when evidence suggests otherwise. For example, people who are high achievers may compare themselves to others despite themselves having numerous accolades.
  • Difficulty accepting praise or recognition. Some people are uncomfortable with being in the spotlight, but imposter syndrome can make praise feel inauthentic even if the giver is genuine.
  • Anxiety about being "exposed" as a fraud. People may double down and work twice as hard to ensure that their "secret" is never exposed.
  • Reluctance to take on new challenges due to fear of failure.
  • Over-preparation or procrastination as coping mechanisms.

Building Self-Compassion and Resilience

One of my most favorite tools to help others silence that inner critic in all of its forms is self-compassion.

Self-compassion is the practice of treating yourself with kindness, understanding, and patience, especially when facing challenges or setbacks. It’s the antidote to the harsh inner critic that fuels imposter syndrome, and it involves treating yourself as a friend you want to help. You extend the same compassion you reserve for others to yourself, and it's a powerful, beautiful gift that you should permit yourself.

Helpful practices for building self-compassion and resilience:

  • Identify and acknowledge your feelings: When self-doubt arises, name it without judgment, without critique. For example, “I’m feeling unsure about my abilities, and that’s okay.” Acknowledging these feelings says that your emotions are important, and should be taken seriously and treated with respect and understanding.
  • Challenge Negative Thoughts: Our thoughts are powerful, but we have the ability to cognitively reappraise them and turn negativity into positivity. Take steps to replace “I’m not good enough” mantras with “I’m learning and improving every day" affirmations.
  • Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize and appreciate your achievements, no matter how minor they may seem. Negative self talk and distorted perceptions of reality may make it seem like these small wins are insignificant in the long run, but taking time to give yourself a pat on the back sets you up to appreciate the moment, and appreciate all the effort it took to get there.
  • Self-Compassionate Journaling: Write a letter to yourself as you would to a friend experiencing imposter syndrome. What would you say to a friend who seems to have it all, but struggles to see it? Be honest, vulnerable, and caring, and remember that we deserve to be our own best friends.

Embracing Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Overcoming imposter syndrome requires a shift in how you perceive yourself and your strengths and weaknesses, especially if it's difficult for you to accept compliments on your strengths.

But self-compassion and resilience work together to transform your mindset and accept yourself, flaws and all. Truly understanding the ways that both silence the inner critic is foundational towards overcoming imposter syndrome and giving yourself permission to embrace both your strengths and weaknesses.

  1. Recognize your value: First thing, reinstate your worthiness simply as a person existing in the space. Replace “I don’t belong here” with “I am worthy and I bring unique skills and perspectives to the table.”
  2. Own your achievements: Attribute success to your hard work, talent, and determination. Imposter syndrome will try to tell you that luck was the main driver, but we tend to over-inflate its importance -- you are the one who showed up, did the work, and made it happen.
  3. Acknowledge your weaknesses: Nobody is perfect. Even that "perfect"-seeming high achiever faces struggles that you know nothing about, and placing an unachievable level of perfectionism on yourself is not compassionate. Your weaknesses and mistakes are part of who you are, and being self aware and honest about all aspects of your personality gives you a realistic picture of who you are. You stop becoming "someone who never makes mistakes," and instead, see yourself as a person who makes strides in improving themselves as best they can.
  4. Silence the inner critic: Challenge doubt with facts, such as positive feedback or measurable accomplishments.
  5. Take small steps: Each small victory, whether it’s speaking up in a meeting or saying no to a new project, reinforces your competence. For example, maybe you challenge yourself to remove one task from your weekly routine that you can easily delegate. Start small, and remember that solving imposter syndrome is a process that will take time.

Conclusion

Imposter syndrome may never disappear entirely, and no single process can contain all the answers for solving it, but it doesn’t have to hold you back from greatness. Understanding its causes and symptoms, practicing self-compassion, and building resilience can quiet the voice of doubt and enable you to step into your potential with confidence and grace.

Remember, everyone experiences moments of uncertainty—but you are so much more than a single moment of doubt, and those moments don’t define you. Your willingness to confront imposter syndrome and grow through it is a testament to your strength and determination.

You’ve earned your place. Now, embrace it.

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