Time to Fight Back
You’ve recognised the voice telling you you’re a fraud. You understand why academic, corporate, and student environments seem designed to trigger these feelings. Now comes the important part: what can you actually do about it?
The good news is that impostor syndrome isn’t a life sentence. Recent research has systematically examined interventions addressing the impostor phenomenon, providing evidence-based guidance for effective approaches. Translation: smart people have studied this, and there are strategies that actually work.
Start with Your Support Network
Here’s something that might surprise you: social support can buffer the negative effects of impostor syndrome, with both family support and friend support weakening the prediction of depressive symptoms. In other words, talking to people who care about you isn’t just nice—it’s literally therapeutic.
Stop trying to handle this alone. That friend who seems super confident? They probably deal with the same stuff. Your family members who keep telling you they’re proud of you? They’re not just being nice—they’re seeing something you’re not.
Change the Conversation in Your Head
Your brain is running a constant commentary that’s probably not very helpful. Instead of “I have no idea what I’m doing,” try “I’m learning something new.” Instead of “I got lucky,” try “I worked hard and made good choices.” This isn’t toxic positivity—it’s accuracy training for your internal narrator.
When that voice says you’re a fraud, ask it for evidence. Seriously. What proof does it have? Usually, you’ll find it’s basing this conclusion on things like:
- You don’t know everything (no one does)
- You made a mistake once (everyone does)
- You feel uncertain about something new (that’s normal)
Find Your People
Mentorship isn’t just for career development—it’s impostor syndrome kryptonite. Find someone who’s a few steps ahead of you and ask them about their journey. You’ll be amazed at how many successful people will tell you about their moments of feeling completely lost.
Join groups, attend networking events, or just start honest conversations with colleagues or classmates. You’ll quickly discover that everyone’s figuring it out as they go, and that’s completely normal.
Build Real Skills Alongside Confidence
Sometimes, impostor syndrome is your brain’s way of telling you that you genuinely need to develop in certain areas. That’s not a character flaw—that’s being human. The key is approaching skill-building from a growth mindset rather than a panic mindset.
Instead of thinking “I need to know this because everyone else already does,” try “I’m going to learn this because it’ll help me do better work.” See the difference? One is about catching up to imaginary standards; the other is about genuine development.
Practice Self-Compassion (Even if It Feels Weird)
Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a good friend dealing with the same situation. You wouldn’t tell a friend they’re a fraud for struggling with something new, so why is it okay to tell yourself that?
Self-compassion isn’t about lowering your standards—it’s about maintaining realistic standards and treating yourself with kindness when you don’t meet them perfectly.
Reframe “Failure” and Feedback
That paper that got rejected? That presentation that didn’t go perfectly? That job interview where you stumbled over a question? These aren’t evidence that you’re inadequate—they’re data points in your learning process.
Start keeping a “growth log” where you write down things you learned from challenging experiences, feedback you received, and skills you developed. It’s amazing how much progress becomes visible when you actually track it.
Set Boundaries with Your Inner Critic
Your impostor syndrome voice doesn’t get to run the show anymore. When it starts its routine, acknowledge it (“Thanks, brain, for trying to keep me safe”), and then make decisions based on logic and your actual goals, not fear.
This might mean applying for that job even though you don’t meet every single requirement, speaking up in meetings even when you’re not 100% confident, or submitting that paper even though you think it could be better.
When to Get Professional Help
If impostor syndrome is seriously impacting your mental health, sleep, relationships, or ability to function, it’s time to talk to a counsellor or therapist. Many schools and employers offer mental health resources specifically for these issues.
There’s no shame in getting help—it’s actually a sign that you’re taking your well-being seriously enough to invest in it.
The Long Game
Overcoming impostor syndrome isn’t about becoming perfectly confident—it’s about developing a more accurate and kind relationship with yourself. You’ll probably always have moments of self-doubt (that’s human), but they don’t have to control your decisions or define your self-worth.
Your New Mantra
Next time that voice starts up, try this: “I belong here, I’m learning and growing, and I don’t have to be perfect to be valuable.” It might feel fake at first, but with practice, it becomes your new normal.
Remember: the goal isn’t to feel like you know everything—it’s to feel okay with not knowing everything while you figure it out.
References
- Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 15 (2024). “Interventions addressing the impostor phenomenon: a scoping review”
- Journal of Sage Publications (2024). “Social support buffered the relation between impostor syndrome and suicidal ideation”
- Frontiers in Psychology (2024). “Impostor phenomenon short scale (IPSS-3): a novel measure to capture impostor feelings in large-scale and longitudinal surveys”
Leave a Reply