Feeling Like an Impostor? You’re Not Alone.

July 30, 2025

by Rebecca Jokinen, MA, LPC, NCC, DTLLP

Do you struggle to believe in your abilities or think that your success is due to luck or chance? Do you feel nervous that people are going to “find out” that you’re a fraud? If you answered yes to these questions, then you might be experiencing the “Impostor Phenomenon,” AKA “Impostor Syndrome,” a common experience of feeling like you are not competent or do not belong in some way, despite evidence of your success.

 

What is Impostor Phenomenon?

First defined by psychologists Clance and Imes (1978), the Impostor Phenomenon (IP), sometimes referred to as “Impostor Syndrome,” describes the internal struggle of feeling like a fraud, or like you have somehow fooled other people into thinking you are smarter or more capable than you really are. People experience IP even when they have a solid track record of achievements and competency in their abilities.

You might be experiencing IP if you:

(a) believe that you are not intelligent and that you have fooled others into thinking you are, despite having been successful in the past;

(b) think that your success is mostly due to external factors like being inaccurately evaluated by a superior or having really good luck;

(c) feel afraid that, sooner or later, you will be “found out” as a fraud (Ménard & Chittle, 2023).

Imposter Phenomenon is not just about feeling uncomfortable from time to time; it is linked to several mental health concerns, including anxiety, emotional exhaustion (Ferrari & Thompson, 2006), depression, low self-esteem (Oriel et al., 2004), and psychological distress (Peteet et al., 2015). It can also lead to lower career satisfaction (Hutchins et al., 2018), less motivation to advance in one’s career, and reluctance to take on leadership roles (Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016). Some people with IP may even self-sabotage by creating their own obstacles (Ferrari & Thompson, 2006), and/or feel guilty about their success (Fimiani et al., 2024).

 

How Does it Develop?

There is no singular cause for IP, but there are several factors that may contribute to whether a person experiences it. For example, people who are highly driven and perfectionistic are more likely to experience Imposter Phenomenon. Those with difficulty self-validating and those who frequently compare themselves to others may also struggle more with IP (Lane, 2015). Furthermore, receiving a lot of evaluative feedback while having an expressed need for external praise to feel confident seems to contribute to experiences of IP as well (Lane, 2015).

As researcher Joel Lane (2015) describes it, people can get “caught in a cycle” where they depend on others to validate their abilities, in order to feel competent, but then discount the praise they receive, which “prevent[s] them from internalizing it” (Lane, 2015, p. 125). This can leave people feeling like they will never be “enough,” and their fear of failure and guilt over success adds to this harmful cycle (Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016; Ross et al., 2001).

 

What Can Help?

There is good news! There are ways to work through the feelings of Imposter Syndrome. A 2024 scoping review of interventions for Impostor Syndrome, conducted by Emma Para and colleagues, explored several effective ways to help with impostor feelings. A few findings from their review include:

One of the best ways to address IP is to talk about it. This could be with a therapist, a good friend, a close family member, or even a support group. Talking openly about impostor feelings can help us feel less alone with them.

Additionally, being able to label what we are experiencing as IP can empower us to challenge the thoughts, which are not based in reality. The label can also help us better understand our emotions and analyze our behaviors related to IP and the contexts in which these feelings mostly occur.

Introducing self-compassion can be another strong way to address IP. Self-compassion includes three main components: (1) being mindfully aware of how you are feeling, (2) recognizing that you are not alone in your suffering, and (3) offering yourself kindness in some way (Neff, 2003).

Finding a mentor or collaborating with more experienced people in the area where you experience IP, such as through your school or work, can also be helpful.

Finally, creating realistic goals and reflecting on and reviewing these goals frequently can also help provide evidence of success, thereby challenging your feelings of Imposter Phenomenon. SMART goals are a helpful approach.

 

7-Steps to Overcoming Imposter Phenomenon

For a more structured approach to addressing Impostor Phenomenon, Jaqua and colleagues (2021) offer these seven practical steps:

  1. Acknowledge your feelings: Get curious about when and where impostor feelings come up. What do you feel? When do you feel this?
  2. Set reasonable goals: Start small and build momentum for success with achievable goals.
  3. Find a mentor: Look for someone who can guide and support you.
  4. Teach others: Do not be afraid to share what you know within your skill set. Sharing your knowledge can actually help you feel more competent.
  5. Question the status quo: Do not assume there is only one “right” way to do something. Investigate different ways of completing a task to help you feel more in control and aware.
  6. Track your successes: Keep evidence of your achievements handy for tough days. This could include creating a physical record of positive evaluations and comments from others or your personal projects that you’re proud of.
  7. Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself. Mistakes are part of growth, not proof that you are a fraud.

 

References

Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy Theory, Research and Practice, 15(3).

Ferrari, J. R., & Thompson, T. (2006). Impostor fears: Links with self-presentational concerns and self-handicapping behaviours. Personality and Individual Differences, 40(2), 341–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.07.012

Fimiani, R., Mannocci, C., Gorman, B., & Gazzillo. F. (2024). Guilt over success, impostor phenomenon, and self-sabotaging behaviors. Current Psychology, 43, 19081-19090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05697-z

Hutchins, H. M., Penney, L. M., & Sublett, L. W. (2018). What imposters risk at work: Exploring imposter phenomenon, stress coping, and job outcomes. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 29(1), 31–48. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21304

Jaqua, E. E., Nguyen, V., Park, S., & Hanna, M. (2021). Coping with impostor syndrome. Family Practice Management, 28(3), 40.

Lane, J. A. (2015). The imposter phenomenon among emerging adults transitioning into professional life: Developing a grounded theory. Adultspan Journal, 14(2), 114-128. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsp.12009

Ménard, A. D., & Chittle, L. (2023). The impostor phenomenon in post‐secondary students: A review of the literature. Review of Education, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3399

Neff, K. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a health attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2, 85-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860390129863

Neureiter, M., & Traut-Mattausch, E. (2016). An Inner Barrier to Career Development: Preconditions of the Impostor Phenomenon and Consequences for Career Development. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 48–48. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00048

Oriel, K., Plane, M. B., & Mundt, M. (2004). Family medicine residents and the impostor phenomenon. Family Medicine, 36(4), 248–252.

Para, E., Dubreuil, P., Miquelon, P., & Martin-Krumm, C. (2024). Interventions addressing the impostor phenomenon: A scoping review. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1360540. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1360540

Peteet, B. J., Brown, C. M., Lige, Q. M., & Lanaway, D. A. (2015a). Impostorism is associated with greater psychological distress and lower self-esteem for African American students. Current Psychology, 34(1), 154–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-014-9248-z