Feeling Like a Fraud: The Impact of Imposter Syndrome 

When someone congratulates you on your accomplishments, but you feel unworthy of those praises, and have felt uncomfortable and ashamed instead?   

There are certain thoughts that cause us to wonder, “What am I doing here?” “They will eventually discover that I am a complete phony and that I don’t belong here.” “I’m a total fraud, and sooner or later, they’re going to find out.” 

Imposter Syndrome is characterized by a deeply rooted fear of being “found out” as incompetent, even after achieving success.  

An imposter is a person who pretends to be somebody else to trick other people. However, in imposter syndrome, the deception is internal: the person tricks themselves into believing they are undeserving of their successes and the recognition they receive. 

Imposter syndrome (IS) involves unfounded feelings of self-doubt and incompetence.  

People who struggle with imposter syndrome believe that they are undeserving of their achievements. They believe that people will eventually learn the truth about them that they are not as smart or capable as they may appear to be.  

Imposter syndrome is not an official diagnosis, it nevertheless has an impact on people’s mental well-being and ability to produce quality work.  

The most important question is why, despite the overwhelming evidence of their achievement, people with imposter syndrome feel like frauds.  

They frequently credit their achievements to outside or temporary factors, such as good luck, timing, or effort that they are unable to consistently put out, rather than recognizing their own strengths and efforts.  

To know that one must understand what causes imposter syndrome. 

Those who experience it struggle with self-efficacy, perfectionism and neuroticism. The foundation can also be laid by competitive circumstances. For instance, a lot of people who subsequently have emotions of impostorism may have been under a lot of parental pressure to perform well in school.  

In short, it’s a hot mess of harmfulness. It can also take various forms, depending on a person’s background, personality, and circumstances. 

The five types of Imposter syndrome are as follows: 

1. The Perfectionist 

Perfectionism and imposter syndrome often go hand-in-hand. Consider this: Perfectionists have enormous self-doubt and worry about falling short of their own expectations because they set unrealistically high standards for themselves.  

• When you miss the (insanely high) mark on something, do you accuse yourself of “not being cut out” for your job and ruminate on it for days? 

• Do you feel like your work must be 100% perfect, 100% of the time? 

Your perfectionistic tendencies lead you to feel that you’re not as good as other people might think you are, which makes you feel like an imposter. 

2. The Expert 

Experts measure their competence based on “what” and “how much” they know or can do. They worry about coming across as unskilled or ignorant because they think they will never know enough.  

• If you don’t meet all the educational requirements, do you avoid applying to job postings?  

• Do you believe that in order to succeed, you must continually acquire new skills and obtain certifications?  

• Even if you’ve been in your role for some time, can you relate to feeling like you still don’t know “enough?” 

• When someone calls you an expert, do you tremble?  

Indeed there’s always more to learn. Striving to bulk up your skill set can certainly help you make strides professionally and keep you competitive in the job market. But taken too far, the tendency to endlessly seek out more information can actually be a form of procrastination. 

3. The Natural Genius 

In this imposter syndrome type, you may feel like a fraud simply because you don’t think you’re smart or capable. You feel like a fraud if you perform a task incorrectly the first time or if you take longer to become proficient in a skill. To put it another way, they feel ashamed if they take a long time to learn anything.  

• Are you used to excelling without much effort? 

• As a child, were you often told that you were the “smart one” in your family or friends? 

• Do you think you can manage things on your own and don’t like the concept of having a mentor? 

These types of imposters set their internal bar impossibly high, just like perfectionists. But natural genius types don’t just judge themselves based on ridiculous expectations, but also on the basis of doing things well the first time. When they’re not able to do something quickly or fluently, their alarm sounds. 

4. The Soloist 

Sufferers who believe as though asking for help reveals their phoniness are called Soloists. 

You start to doubt your competence or abilities if you need assistance to achieve to a certain degree or status because you couldn’t do it on your own. Being independent is acceptable, but not to the point where you turn down help in order to establish your value.  

• Do you have a strong sense that you must do things by yourself?  

• “I don’t need anyone’s help.”  

Does that sound like you?  

Recognize that asking for help when necessary is never a sign of weakness.  

5. The Superhuman 

Since people who experience this phenomenon are convinced that they’re phonies amongst real-deal colleagues, they often push themselves to work harder and harder to measure up.  

But this is just a false cover-up for their insecurities, and the work overload may harm not only their mental health but also their relationships with others.  

• Do you remain at work later than the other members of your team, even after you’ve finished the tasks for the day?  

• Do you get stressed when you’re not working and find downtime completely wasteful? 

• Have you neglected your passions and hobbies in favor of your job?  

This involves believing that you must be the hardest worker or reach the highest levels of achievement possible and, if you don’t, you are a fraud. 

While impostor syndrome is not a recognized mental health disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it is common. 

According to research, imposter syndrome may affect 25–30% of high achievers. And over 70% of adults may encounter impostorism at least once in their lifetime. 

Imposter syndrome is often a hidden struggle that can affect anyone, regardless of their accomplishments or level of success. Remember, feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you are one.  

Don’t let the imposter within steal your joy and hinder your journey. Embrace your authentic self, celebrate your achievements, and know that you are worthy of the success you’ve earned. 

Do some of your employees feel like imposters? Need help with overcoming the imposter syndrome? Contact us to learn more about our customized training programs at +919004521614 or [email protected].    

Authored by Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan, Content Writer Intern