Many people suffer from imposter syndrome and it affects their personal and professional lives. If you have been feeling like a fraud, this article is for you:

1. Imposter Syndrome: Why It Makes You Doubt
Yourself
Austin February 19, 2022 no Comments
Do you ever get the feeling that you are not proud of yourself or everything
that you have accomplished in your life? Do you often get the strong sense
of being a fraud or that you have fooled everyone around you about y our
abilities? Or do positive things like awards, words of appreciation,
appraisals, and promotions make you sad instead of happy because you
then get anxious that someone will find out the truth about you and tell
everyone that you are a fraud?
These apprehensive, out-of-the-ordinary, and disturbing feelings
of anxiety, self-doubt, inadequacy, dread are not normal, however, they are
also very common, more common than you think. All of these anxious
thoughts and feelings are a part of a condition known as Imposter
Syndrome which is generally associated with high achievers. So, if the
constant feeling of being inadequate and a fraud accompanies you

2. everywhere, never leaving your side, for once, then you mig ht be more
capable and successful than you think you are.
Let’s See What Imposter Syndrome Is All About And
Why Do You Feel The Way You Do:
Imposter syndrome can be defined as a psychological pattern in which a
person is not that confident and starts doubt ing his or her
accomplishments, talents, or skills and has a constant internalized fear of
getting exposed as someone who has been fooling everyone around them.
Imposter syndrome is also sometimes known as imposter experience, fraud
syndrome, imposter phenomenon, or imposterism. Even though there is
more than enough external evidence of a person’s competence in the form
of multiple successes and rewards, he/she is still convinced that he/she is
a fraud, is fooling everyone, does not deserve all the achievem ents he/she
has gathered for, and all the respect that he/she gets from people. People
who suffer from imposter syndrome normally attribute their success to luck
which is also known as the Matthew effect.
Imposter syndrome does not occur in professional lives only; it can also be
seen in normal human-to-human interactions in the form of friendships and
relationships. People who suffer from imposter syndrome have continuous
doubts about other people and they create certain defense mechanisms
because of it. As a result, they are unable to achieve healthy relationships
throughout their lives. Even though early research proves that imposter
syndrome is mainly present in successful and high achieving wo men, it can
also be seen in both men and women now.
And that’s not it; imposter syndrome can also be seen in terms of mental
illnesses and the ways to seek treatment for them. As a result, people who
suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar
disorder trick themselves into believi ng that their problem is not as
important as others and they do not have a mental disorder.

3. One surprising thing about imposter syndrome is that it has not been
recognised in the DSM or ICD as a mental health problem. However, both
systems of classification recognise a sense of failure and low self -esteem
as very common symptoms of depression.
What Are The Characteristics Or Symptoms Of
imposter Syndrome?
Now let’s move on to some of the most common and most important
symptoms that can be seen in someone su ffering from imposter syndrome:
1. Being Doubtful Of Oneself Or Feeling Inadequacy
Imposter syndrome causes an extreme lack of confidence in a person and,
as a result, when they experience success or get rewarded with something
they may find themselves thinking that they are not worthy, they do not
deserve this, or that they have fooled everyone around them, and the truth
is far from what it looks like.
And, yes, most people suffer from a lack of self -confidence during some
phases in their lives. For example, when they are in college or when they
are starting a new job, however, with people who suffer from imposter
syndrome, this feeling of underconfidence is constant and very severe.
2. Showing The Tendencies Of A Perfectionist
The majority of people who suffer from imposter syndrome are
perfectionists. Because of being perfectionists, they end up setting
unreasonably high goals for themselves and feel guilty, disappointed, and
ashamed of themselves when they fail to achieve those unrealistic goals.
Their perfectionism causes them to never be satisfied with their successes,
achievements, rewards, and promotions, and they end up focusing on their
failures and mistakes only.

4. 3. A Tendency To Avoid Responsibilities
On one hand, where there are people who suffer from imposter syndrome
and show perfectionist tendencies, you will also find people who steer in
the opposite way on the other hand.
These people have such a severe fear of failure that they start avoiding new
responsibilities, new tasks, and new opportuni ties even if that means
getting a promotion or appraisal. Victims of imposter syndrome who avoid
responsibilities also find it difficult to answer questions or speak up in
meetings without checking with someone else to see if they are right or
wrong because they are scared of getting things wrong and this causes
them to procrastinate. As a result, they avoid working on important tasks
that they have to get done by hook or by crook just because they are scared
of the poor feedback they might receive if they don’t do it properly.
This feeling is also known as avoidance which can be termed as the
imposter twin of perfectionism as noted by a famous clinical psychologist
Dr. Jessamy Hibberd in her book about imposter syndrome known as The
Imposter Cure.
4. A Fear Of Discovery & Judgment
People with imposter syndrome also show a constant fear of getting
discovered. Such people are not only haunted by the fear and dread of the
fact that they are not good enough but also about the fact that their
coworkers, colleagues, managers, and subordinates will find out that they
are a double-dealing person, a cheater, and they haven’t achieved anything
in their life.
This illogical fear may even lead them to illogical extremes and they might
find themselves pushing their mind over the limit just so they can prevent
getting exposed while at the same time they will keep refusing to accept

5. the fact that their efforts are more than good and they’re successful
because they have worked hard for it. This behavior can end up creating a
vicious cycle of dissatisfaction and fear and it can damage a person’s self -
esteem to no extent.
5. A Constant Denial Of One’s Own Success
People with imposter syndrome downplay their achievements more than
often. They often find themselves in the middle o f their self-inflicted
negative self-talk that makes them feel as if they do not deserve the success
they have achieved with their hard work. They tend to regard their
successes as easy achievements even if they have spent days and months
working on them and have put in so much effort. For example, when they
are assigned a presentation on a difficult subject they ask themselves if
anyone is even going to listen to them and who has given them the right to
speak on such an important topic.
And even when they receive positive feedback and words of appreciation
on a certain task they look for ways to dismiss it. For instance, if their
presentation goes well and they get praised for the effort they have put in
that certain project they think to themselves that th ey were just lucky and
had a lot of help. They also think that if they were given that task once
again they will not have that luck or the skills or the talent to achieve that
same success again and will fail terribly.
Gender Differences In Imposter Syndrome
Many scientists have claimed after years of clinical experience that
imposter syndrome occurs less in men as compared to women. However,
with the advancement in research and experimental trials it has been found
that imposter syndrome is equally present among both women and men.
Women face imposter syndrome in terms of their performance in their

6. professional and personal lives. Men, however, feel imposter syndrome in
terms of not being good enough or being unsuccessful at something.
What Are The Causes Of Imposter Syndrome?
1. School Or Work Opportunities
When someone is presented with a new role, it can trigger their imposter
syndrome. It has been noted that imposter syndrome is more common in
people especially when they are trying out new things and are going
through transitions.
As a consequence, all that pressure and their lack of experience in that
field can trigger feelings of inadequacy and self -doubt in those people when
they are present in their new roles and settings.
2. Family Upbringing And Dynamics
Family dynamics and the upbringing of someone c an play a significant role
in them having imposter syndrome. Parenting styles that involve the
parents being overprotective or over -controlling can contribute to the
development of imposter syndrome in their kids at a very early age.
It has been seen that people who come from families where there is a high
level of conflict and how their parents behave towards them can contribute
to them developing imposter syndrome.
3. Social Anxiety
Social anxiety can cause people to think that when they are in conversation
with someone the other person is going to discover their social
incompetence and these feelings can escalate into thinking that they do not
belong there

7. Even though the symptoms of social anxiety can add fire to the fuel and
aggravate someone’s symptoms of imposter syndrome, it does not mean
that every person who suffers from imposter syndrome also suffers from
social anxiety and the same goes for people who suffer from social anxie ty.
What Are The Types Of Personalities In Imposter
Syndrome?
1. The Perfectionist
People who suffer from perfectionism in imposter syndrome are never
satisfied with their performance and they always feel that they could have
done better and could have executed a project in a much better way.
Instead of focusing on their strengths and enjoying their achievements they
stay fixated on their flaws and keep thinking about their mistakes over and
over again. This often leads to a great deal of anxiety and a lot of self-
pressure that can affect their performance at the end of the day.
2. The Superhero
People who have the superhero complex in imposter syndrome always feel
inadequate and, as a result, they keep pushing themselves to work as hard
as they can. This often results in them overworking their mind and their
body and the consequences are not very nice.
3. The Soloist
Soloists in imposter syndrome tend to be very individualistic and they like
to work on their own instead of working in teams. Their concept of self-
worth is often driven by their productivity which is why they reject any offer
of help or assistance from their teammates. Soloists believe that saying
that need help from someone will show the other person that they are weak
or incompetent for the job.

8. 4. The Natural Genius
The natural genius in imposter syndrome is an individual who has set
excessively lofty goals for himself or herself. These people set themselves
up for disappointment when they set unrealistic goals for themselves. As a
result, they feel crushing disappointment when they do not succeed on
their first try and have to try again.
5. The Expert
The experts in imposter syndrome are always on the verge of learning
something new and they are never satisfied with their level of
understanding. As a result, they keep striving to learn more and more but
they never achieve the satisfaction that they want to. And even though they
are often highly skilled at their jobs they underestimate their own expertise
and skills.
How Can Imposter Syndrome Manifest Itself At School,
At Work, At Home, And In Relationships?
1. At School
Students who suffer from imposter syndrome might hesitate or avoid
speaking up in class, taking part in discussions, or answering questions
because they are scared that their classmates or their teachers might think
they know nothing and are clueless about the topic.
2. At Work
People who suffer from imposter syndrome and work in professional
workplaces often associate their success with sheer luck instead of priding
themselves on their own abilities and their work ethic. This more than often
holds them back from asking for appraisals or applying for promotions that
they deserve all too well. Surprisingly, these extremely competent people

9. also think that they have to overwork themselves and do overtime in order
to achieve the highest standard they have set f or themselves.
3. At Home
Parents often suffer from imposter syndrome because they often feel like
they are incapable, clueless, and totally unprepared when it comes to
raising a human being. If these feelings, that most new parents struggle
with, go unchecked it can interfere with the way they bring their child up
and might end up messing with their child’s life.
4. In Relationships
Imposter syndrome can destroy relationships by affecting them adversely.
People with imposter syndrome often think that they do not deserve the
affection of their significant other and are always scared that their partner
is going to discover that they are not that great to be around and might
leave them. As a consequence, because of their self -inflicted fear, they end
up sabotaging their relationship and end it before the other person can
even think of ending it.
These feelings of self-doubt that stem from imposter syndrome can cause
a lot of stress, anxiety, and fear in people. Because of this, they end up
sabotaging their relationships, their friendships, their equation with their
colleagues, and their performance at school. Imposter syndrome has also
been connected with several other problems such as reduction in job
satisfaction along with a decline in job performance while i ncreasing
burnout which then leads to depression and anxiety.
How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome?
The very first step which is to recognise that you have imposter syndrome
is the most important and the hardest part of overcoming it. Many people

10. have this misconception that if they try to implement self -importance in
their lives and act boastfully, they will be able to overcome their imposter
syndrome but unfortunately, that is not the case.
Here are some tried and tested six strategies to help you overcome y our
imposter syndrome:
1. Acknowledge That You Have Imposter Syndrome
The very first step to solve every problem is to acknowledge that you have
that problem and why it is occurring.
The best way to acknowledge that you are feeling the symptoms of imposter
syndrome is by keeping a journal and noting down everything that you feel.
So, for instance, whenever you experience feelings of inadequacy, self -
doubt, or guilt, note those feelings down and be specific about the triggers
or the stimuli that are making you feel that certain way. The reason why
this works is that when you see your thoughts written out on paper you are
able to see how harmful they actually are and how you need to challenge
them.
And keep in mind that even though feelings are important they are still
merely feelings at the end of the day and they do not necessarily depict
reality. So, even if you are feeling unqualified or inadequate or like a fraud
does not mean you actually are.
For instance, you can write in your journal that you gave a pr esentation to
a group of people or you conducted a project with your teammates and
although you won the first prize and everyone was very impressed with you,
you, however, did not feel happy. Once you write down what you feel and
what made you feel that way, what was a trigger, and how you can challenge
it; you can start working on it.

11. One way to deal with your feelings is by using cognitive restructuring which
helps you counter automatic negative thoughts by writing positive
statements that neutralize that negative effect of the thoughts you have.
So, for the above example, you can write that you are a capable, confident,
and competent professional and you are successful because you know what
you are doing and you have the skills to be successful.
2. Talk To People Around You Like Friends And Family
One amazing technique to handle your emotions and come up with a way
to challenge them is by reaching out and talking to people you absolutely
trust such as your best friends, your family, and even colleagues.
You might be surprised to know how many people around you feel the same
way you do and can relate to how you feel and what you’re going through.
Listen to them and share with them how your fears are unfounded and what
triggers them and let them help you come up with a way to challenge them
and solve them.
3. Come Up With A Quick Response Plan
Imposter syndrome is not that easy to get rid of. As a matter of fact, it can
take you a long time to keep it under control, so it is better to come up with
a quick response plan that helps you deal with particularly stressful
moments.
For example, if you are in the middle of a presentation and your negative
thoughts try to take over your mind, you are going to need a quick response
plan. For example, you can confirm those negative talks by separating
yourself from the emotional power of that negative voice.
One great way to go about this is by thinking of yourself in the third person
and asking yourself why did they do that instead of going why did I do that.

12. Thinking in third-person perspective helps you get a more objective
perspective of the situation and why you are feeling thoughts that you are
feeling and what is triggering them.
You can also try countering those feelings by taking on more risks. So, you
can prove yourself wrong by doing more challenges and countering the
negative self-talk that you are not good enough. This may seem
counterintuitive at first but when you take calculated risks and succeed in
those challenges you basically shut down the critic inside you.
4. Get A Clear Understanding Of Your Weaknesses And
Your Strengths
Self-awareness plays a very important role in building up someone’s
confidence. The same is the case with imposter syndrome. As you become
more self-aware, you get to know more about your weaknesses and your
strengths and, as a result, your confidence starts to build up. Do a self-
analysis and write down all the things that you are best at and all the things
that you are not that good at and try working on the latter.
Once you get a clear understanding of your weaknesses and your strengths
you will not have to spend so much time stressing about the fact that you
are not qualified for a task or you are incompetent or you do not deserve
your success. Your friends are going to play a very important role in this
step as well because you are going to need a s upport network who is going
to motivate you and help you gain trust in yourself and your abilities, so
you can fight the negative critic inside you.
5. Overcome Your Perfectionism
Your body, mind, and soul need a break once in a while. Being a
perfectionist, you deprive them of the breaks that they need and the best

13. way to overcome perfectionism is by taking regular breaks, focusing on the
bigger picture, and using relaxation techniques to keep your mind at peace.
Teach yourself how to set realistic, achiev able, and challenging goals
instead of setting unrealistically-high goals that you are not able to achieve.
However, at the same time teach yourself that mistakes are a part of life
and if you make a mistake, it does not mean you are not competent or you
are a fraud.
Try to change your course of thinking by teaching yourself that when you
make mistakes it also demonstrates your ability to take risks and push
yourself to try new things. As a result, you will not see your mistakes as
something to be ashamed of, instead, you’ll start treating them as learning
experiences that will help you perform even better. This will help you
overcome your imposter syndrome over the long run.
6. Take Ownership Of Your Wins And Your Successes
People with imposter syndrome find it really difficult to accept rewards,
praise, promotions, or appraisals as mentioned above because they think
they are not deserving of the things they have achieved in their life. People
that have imposter syndrome like to attribute their success to ex ternal
factors such as their luck or help from others whenever something goes
well.
However, when things go wrong they put all the blame on themselves and
say that it was because of their own mistake that they lost.
In order to overcome imposter syndrome, you are going to need a strong
internal locus of control. A strong locus of control is going to help you
believe that your life is driven by your own actions, decisions, and choices.
As a result, you will start taking responsibility for your achievements a s
well as your shortcomings, instead of giving the credit for the former to

14. external help and taking the blame for the latter. So, the next time you give
an awesome presentation to the board and they praise you for your effort,
give yourself a pat on the back and acknowledge that it was your talent and
your skills that made you succeed.
7. Do Not Forget To Celebrate Your Successes
Try keeping a record of the positive feedback that you received from your
boss for your recent presentation in your journal as w ell. Every time your
inner critic starts the negative self -talk, go back to those phrases and good
remarks and think about the time when you succeeded because of your
skills.
This will help you counter the negative inner voice in your head and give
you a much-needed boost of confidence to go on with your day with
positivity.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that imposter syndrome is nothing but a self -fulfilling pattern
of thoughts in which a human considers himself to be a fraud, an
incompetent person, and someone who does not deserve the success he or
she has attained in his or her life. However, it is not impossible to overcome
it.
Best of luck.
Overcome your imposter syndrome and counter the negative critic inside
you! One of the best ways to defeat your inner cr itic is by taking the help
of a professional. One good example is someone who is proficient in
Psychology. Even a Psychology tutor can guide you about the techniques
you can use to defeat imposter syndrome.

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