10 Little Things You Can Do to Bypass Your Imposter Syndrome

When will they find out I don’t know what I’m doing?

Imposter syndrome is real. It’s when, despite a mountain of evidence that demonstrates that we are skilled and capable—positive work reviews, promotions, awards, pats on the back—we doubt our abilities and feel it’s only a matter of time before we’re discovered for the frauds we “really” are.

This psychological pattern has affected many talented, accomplished people—actors, well-known business leaders, even Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

You’re in good company if you experience these feelings at some point in your life or career. Triggered by a new situation or one that puts us in the spotlight, it’s easy to wonder if we’ll measure up.

Fleeting self-doubt can work to our advantage. It keeps us humble. And can motivate us; driving us to learn or better prepare so we can meet a new challenge or situation. Your boss asks you to give a presentation to the board (something you’ve never done before) so you decide to spend a little extra time putting your data together. You watch some inspiring TED Talks to borrow some tricks from the pros. And you practice your presentation with a colleague.

Situations like these stretch us professionally and push us beyond our initial fear or doubt—and outside our comfort zones.

For many others, these feelings of self-doubt or incompetence are more pervasive and can be paralyzing for careers. Your boss suggests the board presentation opportunity and you take the same initial preparation steps. But you go a step beyond that to extreme over-preparation. Or, you might initially procrastinate and then attempt a frenzied preparation at the last minute. Once the event has passed successfully, you attribute your accomplishment to luck or really hard work, rather than ability or intelligence. You’ll likely also brush aside the praise or positive feedback you receive, thinking to yourself that you’ve managed to conceal your imposter status once again.

Other imposter syndrome sufferers may even decide to bow out of the challenge, playing it safe and discounting the reassurances from a boss who believes they’re ready to tackle this task.

Successes can also generate worry that expectations will be raised, making it more likely their weaknesses will be discovered.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with feeling like a fraud (keeping our weaknesses to ourselves is normal human nature). However, when we are competent, capable people, this behavior can be professionally limiting. It can keep us from speaking up in meetings, asking for raises or promotions or embracing challenging opportunities when they appear. It can also be stressful.

Ways competent people can combat imposter syndrome:

1. Acknowledge what you’re feeling. Learning to recognize these feelings, rather than engaging, is a first step in learning to let go of self-doubt.
2. Spot evidence of your success. Meeting goals and doing a good job are objective signs of your ability. Save the evidence—the emails and messages telling you how great you did—to use as positive reinforcement when you need them.
3. Own your successes. Even if you had outside help or a little luck, acknowledge and celebrate your wins. When someone compliments your work, don’t brush it off as “right place, right time” or “a lucky break.” Instead, thank them. Force yourself to linger on your accomplishments, so you have a more balanced perspective.    
4. You’re not alone in feeling this way.  Research done in the 1980s estimated that 70 percent of all people feel like fakes at some time or another. Talking to or hearing from others (such as a mentor or trusted friend) who have felt this way can help.
5. Fake it ‘til you make it. Act with confidence even if you don’t feel it.
6. Tell your inner critic to be still. Stay conscious of what you say to yourself. And, avoid comparing yourself to others. (This may mean avoiding the one-sided perspectives of social media.)
7. Push yourself to act before you’re ready. If you’re one of the people who struggle with procrastination caused by self-doubt or the need to “have all the facts,” give yourself time limits. Flawless isn’t usually necessary and there will never be a perfect time.
8. Don’t take constructive criticism personally. There are always ways to improve what we do. When you receive feedback, try to reframe it as a way for you to meet a goal of lifelong learning.
9. Ask for help. Not knowing how to do something isn’t a sign of weakness.
10. Mentor someone else. It’ll boost your feelings about how much you really do know.