Feeling like a fake? The psychology of imposter syndrome and what you can do about it
What is imposter syndrome?
“I don’t belong here.”
“They’re just being nice - I could have done so much better”
“I’m not good enough”
“I’m a total fraud and it’s just a matter of time before everyone finds out”
“I’ve got nothing useful to say or contribute”
Do this sound familiar? Well, you’re not alone. Research suggests that imposter syndrome is relatively common with 9 to 82% of people reporting that they have felt like a fraud at some point in their lives (1). Also, a google search for ‘imposter syndrome’ yields over 6 million results suggesting that it is something many people experience and want to know more about.
So what actually is imposter syndrome? The term was first coined in the 1970s by Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance to describe an internal experience in which a person believes that they are inadequate and incompetent despite external evidence suggesting otherwise (2). Put more simply, imposter syndrome is feeling like you’re a fraud who has fooled everyone and worrying that you will be found out sooner or later.
What are the characteristics of Imposter Syndrome?
Some common signs of imposter syndrome include:
Agonising over the tiniest of mistakes
Doubting your abilities and/or downplaying your expertise
Being unable to realistically assess your strengths and skills
Attributing your successes to luck or external factors
Being overly sensitive to feedback and criticism
Fearing that you will disappoint people and not live up to their expectations
Overachieving and overcompensating
Holding yourself to unrealistically high standards
Dismissing other people’s praise as unwarranted kindness
The feelings of being a fraud can persist, no matter how much education, experience or achievements you have accumulated and, down the line, it can negatively impact your wellbeing. It’s also been suggested that imposter syndrome can lead to chronic stress which can keep the vicious cycle of self-doubt going (3).
The imposter cycle.
To explain how imposter syndrome persists, the psychologist Pauline Rose Clance described the “imposter cycle” (4). The cycle starts when a person is faced with an achievement-related task, like an assignment at school, a project at work or speaking at an event. This task triggers feelings of worry and self-doubt and to cope with these uncomfortable feelings, the person typically responds in one of two ways. They will either over-prepare by spending way more time than necessary on the task. Or, they will procrastinate as a way of avoiding the task because they are afraid that they will fail or not be able to meet their incredibly high standards.
If the task goes well, the person might experience momentary relief but then will quickly discount any positive feedback that they receive. For example, they might brush off praise and attribute their success to “imposter behaviours”, such as overworking, or just plain old luck. This leaves them fearing that they will be exposed as fraud and maintains the feelings of worry and self-doubt. In the unlikely event that the task goes badly, it simply confirms the person’s belief that they are inadequate and a failure. Either way, the cycle persists.
Who experiences imposter syndrome?
When the term imposter syndrome was first coined in the 1970s, it was thought to apply mainly to high-achieving women. However, subsequent research has shown that this psychological phenomenon can occur in people of all genders, ages, backgrounds, professions and skill levels (5). Having said that, it does seem to be more common in certain groups of the population, such as women, ethnic minorities, high-achievers and perfectionists. In the next section, we’ll explore why this is the case.
How does imposter syndrome develop?
While there is no single cause for imposter syndrome, there are several factors that increase the likelihood of someone feeling like a fraud, including:
1) Upbringing and childhood experiences
Certain aspects of a child’s upbringing, such as their family dynamics, the parenting they received and their academic experiences, can contribute to imposter feelings later in life. For example, research has found that imposter syndrome is more common in people who experienced controlling and overprotective parenting as a child (6). Similarly, non-supportive families and parents who send their children inconsistent messages, like alternating between excessive praise and harsh criticism, can increase the risk of developing fraudulent feelings in the future (7). Another contributing factor is growing up in an environment that highly valued achievement and put a lot of pressure on succeeding. This can leave children internalising the message: ‘in order to be loved I have to do well’. Lastly, some people are naturally talented and experienced academic success in childhood, only to find themselves no longer at the top of the class as adults. This can leave them feeling like they don’t belong and doubting themselves when they don’t succeed on the first try.
2) Personality traits
Researchers have found that certain personality traits make a person more likely to experience imposter syndrome. These include:
Perfectionism: people who feel like imposters often think that they have to complete every task perfectly and struggle to ask for help as this requires them to admit that they are imperfect.
Low self-efficacy and self-esteem: when a person lacks confidence about who they are and what they can do, it can quickly make them feel like a fraud and doubt their ability to succeed.
Neuroticism: this Big 5 personality trait is associated with negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression and self-doubt, that have been found to co-exist with imposter syndrome (5).
3) New challenges and endeavours
According to professionals, people who embark on new endeavours or face new challenges are more likely to experience imposter syndrome (8). A new opportunity or role, such as starting university, a new job or launching a business, often comes hand in hand with higher expectations, pressure to succeed and an initial lack of skills, knowledge or experience. These can all give rise to feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy and not belonging.
4) Biases, stereotypes and discrimination
As mentioned above, for a long time it was believed that only women experience imposter syndrome. While research has debunked this, the question remains why women are more likely to experience imposter syndrome than men. In their article (9), Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey explore what role the workplace has in promoting and exacerbating imposter syndrome in women. They argue that “imposter syndrome puts the blame on individuals, without accounting for the historical and cultural contexts that are foundational to how it manifests” and it “directs our view toward fixing women at work instead of fixing the places where women work” (9).
In addition to this gender bias, other forms of institutionalised discrimination also fuel imposter syndrome. For example, a study found that students of certain ethnic minorities were more likely to experience imposter feelings (10). When a person is aware of the negative stereotypes that others have of them, whether that is because of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or some other characteristic, they are more likely to work harder to disprove these unfair judgments and earn respect and recognition. Furthermore, these harmful stereotypes, discrimination and microaggressions can impact a person’s performance by making them feel less confident and like they don’t belong. Ultimately, as Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey highlighted in their article, a large portion of the work needs to go into fixing the systems and environments that foster and maintain imposter syndrome rather than placing the problem solely on the individual (9). Having said that, if you feel like a fraud, the next section explores some things you can do to break free from the imposter cycle.
How to cope with imposter feelings
As we saw earlier, instead of making us feel less of a fraud, overworking or procrastinating often have the opposite effect. However, there are things you can do to start challenging your deeply ingrained beliefs about yourself and develop a more positive self-image.
1) Acknowledge and share your feelings
Acknowledging imposter feelings and breaking the silence can be a powerful first step. Imposter syndrome maintains its sinister hold by making people feel deeply ashamed which holds them back from sharing their fraudulent feelings and makes them feel like they’re the only ones with this ‘dirty secret’'. Instead, sharing your imposter feelings with someone you trust can weaken their hold on you and help you realise that you’re not the only one who feels like a fraud. It can also help others experiencing similar feelings feel less alone. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to family, friends or colleagues, consider talking to a professional who can help you work through these feelings and break free from the imposter cycle.
2) Change your relationship with your thoughts and feelings
We often treat our thoughts and feelings as fact even when they are not. By externalising and labelling your thoughts and feelings, it can help you realise that while you may feel like an imposter, it doesn’t mean you are one. So instead of saying “I am an imposter” which defines who you are, try saying “right now, I’m feeling like a fraud” which instead describes a temporary emotional state. Another technique is learning to observe your thoughts without immediately reacting to them. By simply observing your thoughts, you can start learning to put them in perspective and critically evaluate them. For example, you might ask yourself: “Is this thought helpful or unhelpful?” and “What evidence do I have that supports this thought?”. Once you realise that your fraudulent thoughts are generally unhelpful and unfounded, it can help you reframe the way you look at yourself and your abilities.
3) Out with the old (rulebook) and in with the new
People with imposter syndrome have often acquired rigid and unhelpful rules to live by, such as “I must always be prepared”, “I can’t ask for help” or “I have to do things perfectly”. These rules can cause people to have unrealistic expectations about themselves which, if unmet, can lead to self-criticism, self-doubt and disappointment. The first step in refreshing your rulebook is identifying unhelpful rules and asking yourself whether the rule is useful, reasonable and realistic. If it's not and it’s causing you negative consequences, try to develop a more helpful rule. For example, switching the rule ‘I must always do things perfectly’ with ‘I will try my best’ or ‘I will be okay with doing a task ‘well enough’”.
4) Practise asking for help
As mentioned before, struggling with imposter syndrome can be an isolating experience. The shame and unhelpful beliefs can get in the way of opening up and asking for help. However, it’s important that you recognise that you can’t do everything on your own and no one expects that of you either. So try to open up to your network and practise asking for help when you’re struggling. Another thing to avoid is comparing yourself to others as this is likely to fuel feelings of inferiority. Instead of focusing on how others might be better than you, ask you’re what you can learn from them.
5) Recognise and celebrate your strengths and accomplishments
Imposter syndrome often leaves a person fixating on their flaws and weaknesses rather than recognising and celebrating their strengths. To right this imbalance, try writing down all the things you are good at and have accomplished. If you struggle coming up with things on your own ask your friends, family and colleagues for input. This exercise can help you recognise how far you have come and how much value you have to give. Also, learn to accept praise rather than brushing it off and find ways to celebrate your well-deserved successes.
The Takeaways
People who experience imposter syndrome doubt their abilities and accomplishments and worry that others will find out that they are a fraud. They don’t believe that they have earned their achievements despite external evidence suggesting otherwise.
Research has shown that anyone can experience imposter syndrome but it is more common in certain groups of the population, such as women and ethnic minorities.
While there is no single cause for imposter syndrome, there are certain factors that seem to increase the risk of developing fraudulent feelings. These include upbringing, personality traits, facing new challenges and experiencing institutionalised discrimination.
Although system-wide changes are needed to address the biases and discrimination that foster and exacerbate imposter syndrome in our institutions and workplaces, there are things you can do to cope with your imposter feelings. For example, challenging and reframing your thoughts, updating the rules you live by, recognising your strengths, sharing your feelings with others and asking for help.
Self-help resources for overcoming imposter syndrome:
Ted talks playlist: Fighting impostor syndrome
Book: The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer From the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It – Dr. Valerie Young
Book: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are – Dr. Brené Brown
Book: The Imposter Cure: Escape the Mind-Trap of Imposter Syndrome – Dr. Jessamy Hibberd
References
Clance, P. R. (1985). The impostor phenomenon: Overcoming the fear that haunts your success. Peachtree Pub Limited.
Feel like a fraud? By Kirsten Weir - American Psychological Association (APA)