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Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern that leaves you with a lack of belief in your own abilities, achievements and skills. It shows up when you feel you are somehow being dishonest with the people around you, as if you have not earned your success. It convinces you that your achievements are smaller than they really are, and that anything that went well was down to luck. The result can be a deep, sometimes almost panicky fear of being "found out": that others will discover "who I really am" and hold it against you that you fooled them. Surprisingly, it affects highly successful people too: chief executives of large companies, famous and acclaimed actors, and highly qualified specialists.
What does it look like in practice?
In everyday life, imposter syndrome can strike, among other times, when you are looking for a job. How does it show? You feel that your skills are not what other people think they are. Others do not know the truth about your real abilities, and everyone else is actually better than you. On top of that comes a strong fear of being exposed. You find it very hard to accept compliments and put every success down to favourable circumstances. It can even stop you applying for roles you are qualified for, or make you freeze when an interviewer asks about your achievements. A structured approach such as the STAR method can help you talk about them factually.
Where does imposter syndrome come from?
We do not live in isolation from the world around us. One thing that helps imposter syndrome settle in is the sheer amount of freely available knowledge around us, and the fact that there will always be far more of it than we can ever take in. That shapes how we see our own skills. It shows most clearly when we decide to specialise in a particular subject. We focus on it, get to know the nuances of a new field and discover just how much there is still left to learn.
Another factor is the number of genuine experts, or people who give the impression of knowing a great deal. If there are so many specialists and each of them knows more (or seems to), how can we feel good about our own level of knowledge?
Remember that there will always (or almost always) be someone, in your country or in the world, who knows more about a given field than you do. Often that is the result of carefully building an image rather than of real expertise. Keep that in the back of your mind when you assess your own track record and compare yourself with others. And if any outside factor might have helped you succeed, we tend to give it all the credit.
What can you do about it?
Write down your successes
Write them on a sheet of paper, start a dedicated notebook or make a success jar: collect all your achievements, add new ones every time, and come back to them in moments of doubt. When you gather your smaller and bigger achievements in one place and look at them with some distance, you will see how much you have really accomplished.
Ask for feedback
After finishing a project, a piece of collaboration or a training session, ask for feedback on your work and on how others experienced it. You will see how people react to your skills and knowledge. Do not be shy about asking questions and drawing concrete conclusions. You will see how many people confirm that you are good at what you do.
Take stock of your achievements
Think about the skills you have already gained, the qualifications you hold, the courses you have completed and what you have learned along the way. There will probably be more than you expect. Having that list ready also makes it much easier when you ask for a promotion or prepare for an interview.
Work on your perfectionism and tackle procrastination
Imposter syndrome pushes us towards excessive perfectionism. We feel the need to do everything flawlessly so that nobody discovers our supposed lack of competence. That in turn can feed procrastination: "I won't do it, because I can't do it perfectly, and if it isn't perfect I can't show it to anyone, because they'll find out I don't know what I'm doing." It is worth working through these beliefs and letting go.
Other people feel the same
It also helps to realise that you are not alone. Many people struggle with the same beliefs and face similar challenges. Share your thoughts with someone close to you.
Why it is worth dealing with
Imposter syndrome is very common. It also affects everyday life, health and wellbeing. It can lead to exhaustion from taking on far too much work, which in turn leads to burnout. It carries a high emotional cost too: the constant fear of being exposed can cause low mood, tiredness and even health problems. People who struggle with it may also avoid opportunities that come their way and put off their own plans. If it is affecting your mental health, the NHS Every Mind Matters service offers practical tips and points you to further support. It is worth working on, so that you can land the job you want and enjoy the success you have EARNED in it.
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