Imposter Syndrome

When that critical inner voice convinces you that you are a fraud

By Vera Li

“It’s only a matter of time before everyone realizes what I am. An imposter.”

Ah… imposter syndrome. A concept that many of us are all too familiar with. For those who don’t know imposter syndrome is, it is, simply stated, a term to describe when we feel like a fraud and all of our achievements are just a result of dumb luck. When we feel unworthy and undeserving of success. When we wonder to ourselves, Do I even deserve this award? Am I just faking my intelligence?

Are all of my accomplishments… a lie?

There is a big difference between modesty and imposter syndrome. Modest people don’t gloat, but they still celebrate their successes and recognize their self-worth. On the other hand, people with imposter syndrome are quick to downplay their accomplishments and compare their successes to other people. They feel like their achievements are nothing compared to a far more superior, admirable achievement of somebody else. They may even feel like telling people about their accomplishment would “trick” other people into believing that they are more talented, kind, hard-working, etc. than they believe they actually are.

In hyper-competitive environments, it is especially easy for imposter syndrome to take control because when you’re surrounded by so many ambitious, talented, and confident people, it’s easy to feel out of place and worry about fitting in with the crowd. I haven’t done anything worth celebrating. Everyone else around me has accomplished so much more. I don’t deserve to be here.

Imposter syndrome manifests itself in many different ways. For some people, it means feeling like they didn’t deserve to get into their dream college because their peers, who have higher grades and more leadership roles, didn’t get in. For others, it might mean doubting their significant other and wondering if their partner has only fallen in love with their fake persona. Even writing this article, I’m battling imposter syndrome. Am I really qualified to be writing about mental health when I still struggle? Am I trauma-dumping under the disguise of spreading awareness for mental health?

I know what it’s like to doubt my own abilities and intentions, but I also know that these thoughts are exactly just that — thoughts. They are intangible, abstract concepts that are generated by our consciousness. They are not reality. Just because your brain jumps to the conclusion that you are faking your personality and accomplishments, it doesn’t make that a true fact, and recognizing this fact is the first step to overcoming imposter syndrome.

Once you’ve recognized that you are, in fact, not actually a fraud, it’s time to evaluate whether you need to make some changes to reduce this anxiety. If you’ve been feeling like a “bad leader” because you haven’t invested as much effort into your projects as you would have liked to, consider setting up a schedule to better manage your time. If you’ve been feeling unintelligent because your peers boast of their perfect test scores or other successes, consider giving yourself some space to breathe, if you are able to, and spend some more time working on yourself and your projects.

Sometimes, it could also help immensely to talk about your inner doubts to a close friend, family member, therapist, or anyone you trust who will listen to you. More often than not, we relentlessly compare ourselves to others and get caught up in their seemingly perfect lives. However, after talking to others about your insecurities, you’ll likely find that most people have their own doubts about their abilities and intelligence too, no matter how confident they seem on the outside. Of course, not everyone is willing to be vulnerable and admit their insecurities. However, if you are able to talk to somebody who cares about you and is willing to open up a bit on their inner thoughts, it might be really helpful in showing you that you are not alone in fighting imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome doesn’t just magically disappear. It takes time to build confidence and trust in your abilities, but confidence isn’t necessarily a requirement for success. Even the most successful people still doubt themselves every once in a while, but the key is to not let these doubts hold you back from chasing your goals. Keep moving forward, reach out when the self-criticism gets too difficult to bear, and continue to remind yourself that you are worthy of your successes.

Take care everyone <3