What Does It Feel Like?
Imposter Syndrome is the persistent inability to believe that your success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of your own efforts or skills. It’s a feeling of being a fraud, and it’s more common than you think.
Feeling Like a Fraud
Despite your accomplishments, you have a nagging fear that you’ll be “found out” as a fake.
Attributing Success to Luck
You dismiss your achievements as luck, timing, or other external factors, not your own ability.
Minimizing Achievements
You downplay your successes, believing anyone could have done what you did.
Perfectionism Pressure
You believe you must be perfect, and any small mistake proves your incompetence.
The Imposter’s Mindset: A Skewed Perspective
Imposter syndrome often involves a distorted “locus of control”—how we explain the cause of events. We have one rule for others, and a different, harsher rule for ourselves.
When OTHERS Succeed
We attribute it to their internal qualities:
- “They’re naturally talented.”
- “They are so intelligent and capable.”
- “Their hard work really paid off.”
When *I* Succeed
I attribute it to external factors:
- “I just got lucky this time.”
- “They must have lowered the standards.”
- “Someone helped me, I couldn’t do it alone.”
Recognizing this pattern is the first step toward changing it and owning your success.
You’re in Good Company
Feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you are one. Countless icons of science, art, and leadership have felt the exact same way.
“The exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler.”
– Albert Einstein
“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.'”
– Maya Angelou
“No matter what we’ve done, there comes a point where you think, ‘How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud…?'”
– Tom Hanks
“It’s almost like the better I do, the more my feeling of inadequacy actually increases… ‘Any moment, someone’s going to find out I’m a total fraud.'”
– Emma Watson
“I still have a little impostor syndrome… It doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know?”
– Michelle Obama
“I am always looking over my shoulder wondering if I measure up.”
– Sonia Sotomayor
Interactive Toolkit: Rewire Your Thinking
Actively challenging the imposter voice is key. Use these simple exercises to start building a more accurate, self-compassionate inner narrative.
Activity: “Who, Me?” “Yeah, Me!”
Challenge the voice of doubt with facts. Think of a recent success and reframe it.
My Recent Achievement:
My “Yeah, Me!” Response:
Activity: My Strengths, My Truths
Remind yourself of your inherent, undeniable qualities.
My Truth #1:
My Truth #2:
My Truth #3:
Your Toolkit for Brilliance
Integrate these concepts and strategies into your daily life to build lasting confidence and keep imposter syndrome at bay.
Talk About It
Sharing your feelings with trusted friends or mentors can lift a huge weight and show you you’re not alone.
Focus on Facts
Keep an “Accomplishment Journal.” When doubt creeps in, review the concrete evidence of your competence.
Embrace “Good Enough”
Striving for perfection is a trap. Aim for progress, not flawlessness. Mistakes are for learning, not for shame.
Artist vs. Critic
Separate the creative “Artist” from the judgmental “Critic” in your mind. Let the Artist work freely before the Critic gets a say.
Power Poses
Before a challenge, stand tall for 2 minutes. Adopt a confident posture to influence your mindset. Your body can lead your mind.
Own Your Vulnerability
As Brené Brown says, true courage is showing up and being seen when you can’t control the outcome. It’s strength, not weakness.
How Common Is It?
While exact numbers vary, studies suggest a vast majority of people—up to 82% in some research—experience these feelings at some point. It shows that feeling like an imposter is a shared human experience, not a personal defect.
Illustrative data based on multiple studies.
Susan E. Hendrich 