Don't Worry, You're Not a Fraud: Dealing with Impostor Syndrome

I'm a fraud. I got this job purely by luck. What if my coworkers realize I'm not actually that good? When imposter syndrome takes hold of your mind, a flood of insecurity and self-sabotage takes over most of your daily thoughts.

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And it's quite common.

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This phenomenon has been well known and studied since the 1970s. It was first introduced by psychologist Pauline Rose Clance after she identified similar experiences among a group of high-achieving women in the workplace.

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Impostor syndromeis the feeling that every achievement is a fluke, every good result a stroke of luck or mere coincidence, creating a constant fear of being found out or exposed as a fraud.

According to *The Journal of Behavioral Science* [ENG], 70% of people experience this cognitive disorder.

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The Five Types of “Impostors”

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In *The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women* [ENG], Dr. Valerie Young identifies five factors underlying this phenomenon:

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Perfectionist: Focused on how things are executed. Everything must be done perfectly; any mistake casts doubt on their abilities. Perfectionists tend to set goals that are extremely unrealistic, and even a 99% success rate can be seen as a complete failure. Micromanaging behaviors are common in this category.

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Expert: Always nodding in agreement with every idea. Experts fear being perceived as stupid or ignorant. They need the validation of certifications and training before starting a major project, and they don’t apply for jobs unless they fully meet the requirements. Asking questions or making comments in a meeting is a risky situation that could potentially expose their lack of knowledge.

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Natural Geniuses: For this group, a single failed attempt is a clear sign that they lack the talent or innate abilities. Natural Geniuses expect to succeed at everything on the first try. Obstacles and difficulties along the way lead them to believe that perhaps what they were trying to achieve wasn’t meant for them.

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Lone Wolf: They must do everything on their own. For Lone Wolves, asking for help is humiliating and a sign of weakness. Every achievement must be personal and accomplished on their own.

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Superhuman: Being a student, sibling, wife, boss, friend, model mother, etc., shouldn’t be complicated. This type of person works extremely hard to prove they can handle every role and detail of their lives. If they don’t give 100% in everything, they feel like a failure.

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There is a clear pattern running through all these variations: the fear of failure. And that's music to our ears.

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Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

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There are many ways to address imposter syndrome. At Fuckup Nights, we embrace Albert Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy.

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According to Bandura [ENG], self-efficacy is:“the perception of one’s ability to succeed in certain tasks.”In other words, it’s about believing in our own ability to organize ourselves and carry out certain tasks. This is exactly the opposite of imposter syndrome, which is a lack of belief in our abilities.

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Bandura suggests four specific steps to boost our self-efficacy:

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Reactivating our core experience: This means moving away from the belief that our progress was due to luck and recognizing the systems behind our achievements. How did I reach this or that goal? What processes did I follow? What best practices did I apply? It is important to recognize our processes and stick to our systems to prove to ourselves that our achievements are not the result of luck, but of our own skills.

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Vicaria's Experience: One of the biggest issues with imposter syndrome is constantly comparing ourselves to others, including our role models. We tend to aim high, focusing on trying to be like our exemplary CEO. But perhaps we’re looking at the wrong person. And by “looking,” we don’t mean comparing; we mean observing.

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Bandura explains that if we observe people with similar or slightly superior skills at work, we can learn and gain more useful insights into our own abilities. Instead of comparing yourself to the very best, observe your colleagues: How do they work? What do they have in common?

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Social Persuasion: Impostor syndrome downplays our achievements, results, and skills, leaving us doubting our worth. Sometimes, all we need is a little external motivation to overcome those thoughts.

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Social persuasion is a healthy dose of positive and sincere feedback. It’s even better when it comes from an expert in the field, and it should always focus on recognizing skills rather than hard work (remember that imposter syndrome undermines our skills, not our ability to work). It’s important to recognize that social persuasion can create a need to please others, so it’s important to find a balance between this and the other aspects of self-efficacy.

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Emotional states: Feeling like an imposter can trigger physical symptoms. These might include a nervous tic, a racing heart, a bad mood, or irritability. But we must keep in mind that these symptoms can stem from poor sleep habits, poor eating habits, or depression, and often have nothing to do with our job skills.

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When our minds are preoccupied with creating illusions surrounding imposter syndrome, our emotions and physical symptoms can be misinterpreted, thereby reinforcing those feelings of inadequacy. It’s important to take the time to genuinely ask ourselves why we feel that way. We need to reevaluate our emotions and symptoms in light of factors unrelated to our professional lives.

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The Power of Vulnerability

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The concept of self-efficacy is a very useful tool; however, at Fuckup Nights, we believe there are other collective ways to address imposter syndrome. Having dealt with failure for years, we’ve come to realize the power that lies in being vulnerable and open about our frustrations and fears. It makes sense to us to apply this same approach to imposter syndrome, which masks a deep fear of failure.

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This phenomenon unfolds quietly, emerging in closed-off environments where people keep their fears, doubts, and concerns to themselves. Of the 70% of people who suffer from this syndrome, how many actually talk about it with one another? Talking about and bringing the problem to light normalizes this shared experience and raises awareness, helping people break free from isolation, fear, and shame.

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In addition to fostering a sense of shared experiences, being open about imposter syndrome helps level the professional playing field by revealing the reality behind “success,” which in turn helps temper expectations of perfection. Connecting through a shared fear of failure helps humanize leaders and role models, revealing just how imperfect “success” can be. It shows that even the most successful person is full of insecurities and doubts.

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And no, you don't need to organize a "Failure Event" at your company to discuss these topics with your team. ???? During meals, in the elevator, in the hallways—any conversation can lead to sharing.

Impostor syndrome, like failure, is universal, and there are no magic solutions to overcome it. It’s important to speak up and reveal the struggles behind success. It’s a real problem—let’s talk about it.