Imposter Syndrome - It’s Not What You Think

At some point in our upbringing & careers, many of us have experienced a nagging feeling of self-doubt, questioning our accomplishments and fearing being exposed as a "fraud." This phenomenon - widely known as Imposter Syndrome - encapsulates the internal experience of intellectual phoniness that many of us believe about ourselves, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary.

What’s worse? Most of us completely misunderstand what imposter syndrome is - and what it is not - according to the research.  

To kickoff our Imposter Syndrome series, we want to set the record straight and clear up a few things.  Your self-esteem will thank us later.

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter Syndrome is not a new concept but has gained more visibility in recent years. First identified by psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970s, it was originally thought to apply mostly to high-achieving women. However, it has since been recognized as something men and women across various professions and stages of life can experience. It is characterized by an inability to internalize one's accomplishments and skills, coupled with a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud," regardless of consistent performance evidence to the contrary.

Signs of Imposter Syndrome

The experience of Imposter Syndrome can vary widely among individuals but typically includes:

• Persistent self-doubt: Despite continuous achievements, you feel like you are not smart or capable enough.
• Attributing success to external factors: Your success is often attributed to luck, timing, or deceiving others into thinking you are more intelligent and competent than you believe yourself to be.
• Fear of failure: There's an overwhelming fear that you won't live up to expectations and will be "found out," leading to over-preparation or procrastination.
• Downplaying success: Tendency to minimize accomplishments or brush off praise, believing you don't deserve the accolades.

It doesn’t matter how successful or well-known you might be - experiencing imposter syndrome seems to have no boundaries - which makes it all the more important to recognize one of the biggest misunderstandings of all about imposter syndrome.

The Misnomer of "Syndrome"

When the Imes and Clance originally identified this pattern in feelings of inadequacy some 50 years ago, they referred to it as an imposter “phenomenon” - not a “syndrome” - which is a huge difference.

The use of "syndrome" typically refers to a medical or pathological condition, implying a level of permanence or a need for treatment.  As researchers put it in their article “Contextualizing Imposter ‘Syndrome,’” 

“Depicting the phenomenon as a “syndrome,” gives the impression that the individuals who experience it are “patients” (Bravata et al., 2019, p.1), which is highly problematic, as it implies a medical model of dysfunction within the individual (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; see also Kolligan and Sternberg, 1991).”

However, feeling like an imposter is more often a reaction to specific contexts and is not an inherent or unchangeable aspect of an individual's personality or mental health.  But the field of psychology has largely focused research on imposter syndrome as an individual phenomenon, which has “primarily operationalized and measured the imposter phenomenon as a trait (instead of a state; Harvey, 1981; Clance, 1985; Mak et al., 2019).” 

This distinction is crucial because it highlights that these feelings can be managed and overcome with time, reflection, and often with the support of mentors or peers. 

Recognizing that imposter feelings are a common experience, rather than a personal failing, can be the first step toward alleviating them.

Why the Distinction Matters

Understanding why "syndrome" might be the wrong term to describe these feelings is important for several reasons:

• It reduces stigma: Labeling these feelings as a syndrome can pathologize a relatively normal experience - meaning we treat that person as abnormal - adding to the stigma and possibly deterring individuals from discussing their feelings or seeking support.
• Promotes a growth mindset: Recognizing imposter feelings as situational rather than inherent encourages a growth mindset, where you can develop strategies to cope with and eventually overcome these feelings.
• Encourages open dialogue: Shifting the conversation around imposter feelings from a medicalized perspective to a more common and shared experience can foster more open discussions about self-doubt, resilience, and personal growth.

One Final Point - Imposter Syndrome is Not a Disorder

If you aren’t convinced yet that we collectively have a distorted understanding of imposter syndrome, then it is also important to note that “imposter syndrome” is not even categorized as a psychiatric disorder of any kind:

“Half of the 62 peer-reviewed publications on imposter syndrome were published in the last seven years underscoring the recent recognition of imposter syndrome as an important clinical phenomenon. Despite this, however, imposter syndrome is not a recognized psychiatric disorder; it is neither featured in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5th Edition (DSM-5)9 nor in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)10.” (Bravata)

Where To Go From Here

Okay, so now you know that the feelings of inadequacy you are having are not rare, nor are they a sign of some sort of psychological defect.  You are normal and are probably quite competent!

However, these feelings and thought patterns still get in the way of your self-esteem and can deprive you of the ability to enjoy all of the things you are working so hard for.  

That is why we launched this series.  In the articles that follow, we will show you how context (e.g. culture, the workplace, family, etc.) can contribute to or trigger your imposter feelings.  We will also show how deceiving yourself with imposter thinking is often used for motivation - and why that is a losing strategy long term.  Finally, we will equip you with strategies to combat your own thoughts & feelings, as well as those of your peers, colleagues and friends.

Just remember, you can work hard and achieve your goals and feel great about yourself all at the same time - it is possible :)

To learn more, read about how Imposter Syndrome comes up at work or get our free 4-Step Action plan to start beating Imposter Syndrome today!