Impostor Syndrome: Why We Doubt Ourselves and How to Overcome It
There’s a particular kind of fear that lives quietly beneath the surface in many individuals. It’s the voice that keeps saying:
“What if I don’t actually know what I’m doing?”
“What if they find out I’m not as good as they think I am?”
This voice has a name, that is: Impostor Syndrome, and it’s more common than you’d think.
What Is Impostor Syndrome?
Impostor Syndrome is not a mental illness. It’s a pattern of self-doubt that makes people feel like they’re not doing enough and are frauds, even when they’re successful, competent, and qualified. They may attribute achievements to luck, timing, or others’ support, anything but their own effort and capability and attribute any negative occurrence as a fault in themselves.
People struggling with this often live with:
Chronic self-questioning, even in areas they’ve mastered
Fear of being “exposed” as incompetent
Reluctance to internalize praise or success
Pressure to overwork or overachieve to “make up” for their supposed lack
What makes this even trickier? On the outside, these individuals appear confident, capable, and put-together.
Where Does It Come From?
Impostor Syndrome often has deep emotional and psychological roots:
Perfectionism: The belief that nothing is ever good enough creates a constant sense of failure.
Family dynamics: Childhood messages like “You have to be the best,” or comparisons to siblings, friends, and peers can shape adult self-worth.
Marginalised identity stress: Being “the only one” in a space, whether by gender, caste, class, race, or language, can silently amplify the pressure to prove yourself.
Early academic validation: People who were praised mostly for achievements often link their identity to performance, not intrinsic worth.
Why It Hurts
Living with Impostor Syndrome can be exhausting. It can lead to:
Burnout, from trying to constantly “earn” your place
Isolation, because it feels safer not to share your doubts
Stalled growth, due to fear of being “found out” in a new role
Low self-worth, masked by external success
The most painful part? No matter how much you achieve, it does not feel like enough.
What Helps?
Healing from Impostor Syndrome isn’t about “thinking more positively.” It’s about gently reworking the emotional patterns that have made you believe your worth is conditional.
Here are a few steps that can help get you started:
Name the Voice
Instead of letting the doubt run the show, label it. “Oh, this is just my impostor voice showing up again.” Creating space between you and the inner critic can begin to loosen its grip and reduce its power.
Talk to People You Respect
You’ll be surprised how many accomplished people feel the same. Vulnerable, honest conversations can help normalize the experience and reduce shame.
Keep an Evidence Log
Document moments when your efforts made a difference, when people appreciated your work, when you solved a problem well. Revisiting these logs builds internal trust.
Challenge Binary (Black or White) Thinking
You’re not either “a fraud” or “a genius.” Most of us are learning, growing, and figuring things out, and still doing a pretty good job. There’s room for nuance.
Work on Worth, Not Just Performance
Shift from “I must succeed to be valuable” to “I am already valuable, and I’m learning as I go.” Self-compassion becomes the bridge between self-doubt and self-trust.
A Quiet Truth
If you’ve ever felt like an impostor, chances are you’re not one, and definitely alone either. Real impostors don’t question themselves, and instead overestimate their competence. The very fact that you care, reflect, and worry means you’re conscious, not counterfeit.
And maybe that’s the truth you’ve been needing all along:
You don’t have to earn your right to belong.
You are not behind, you’re simply becoming.
