Imposter Syndrome
Updated on October 6, 2025.
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong, even when you’ve earned that spot at school or worked your way up the ladder at work but still have a low self-esteem? This might be imposter syndrome.
We interviewed Gabby Porcaro about her experiences — we dive into her experiences, how she fights imposter syndrome and everything you need to know about fighting imposter syndrome yourself.
What is imposter syndrome?
Impostor syndrome refers to the phenomenon when individuals, often high achievers, cannot internalize their accomplishments, rather ascribing external factors for their hard work and successes in life. When someone experiences imposter syndrome, they feel like they do not deserve the praise, career growth or positive feedback, and are afraid they’ll be exposed as a “fraud.”
Those with imposter syndrome have high standards and are psychologically uncomfortable with acknowledging their role in their own success, and their negative emotions (often referred to as “cognitive distortions”) are based on anxiety and the imposter phenomenon, rather than objective facts. Although it was initially believed that imposter syndrome predominantly affected high-achieving women, subsequent gender-related data on the subject has revealed this isn’t the case — high-achieving individuals of all backgrounds and identities can sometimes feel out-of-place amongst their achievements even if they are doing more than a good enough job.
Prevalence of imposter syndrome
While feelings of unworthiness can happen to anyone, anywhere, most people experience imposter syndrome in the workplace. People feel like they’ll soon get in trouble for being in a role as a new hire, even when they rightfully earned that position through a rigorous interview or competitive application process and are doing their best work. They might even think, “I don’t deserve this good fortune! My boss must have made a mistake, hiring me.”
Imposter syndrome isn’t limited to professional life and can have detrimental effects on other parts of life. This includes feeling inadequate in a relationship with family members or as a partner, which could become a prolonged conflict in the relationship or relationship issues. Imposter syndrome might also look like the incapacity to accept personal praise or going overboard on challenging, often ambitious, goals, which can ultimately lead to burnout.
I first realized I was experiencing Imposter Syndrome during my Master’s program. Between being a full-time student, working as a full-time graduate assistant, serving on research teams, teaching classes, and more, there was rarely a break in my schedule. Although I was receiving positive feedback about my performance in all these roles, I still felt as though I wasn’t doing “enough.” I felt there was more that I should be accomplishing professionally, academically, and personally. The voice in the back of my mind continued to nag me with sentiments of inadequacy, and ultimately led to an irregular sleep schedule and symptoms of depression. After struggling with not feeling well, I turned to my supervisor at the time, and began to process the thoughts and feelings of inadequacy that plagued my head and my heart. During this conversation with my supervisor, I recognized that I was dealing with Imposter Syndrome. — Gabby Porcaro
Symptoms of impostor syndrome
Symptoms of impostor syndrome can look different for different people, though there are some consistent tell-tale red flags. Symptoms might include:
- Extreme lack of self confidence
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Constant comparison to other people
- Anxiety
- Self doubt
- Distrust in one’s own intuition and capabilities
- Negative self-talk
- Dwelling on the past
- Irrational fears of the future
In professional settings, typical examples include:
- Taking on extra work to make sure you’re “doing it all”
- Shrugging off accolades
- Not applying to job postings unless you meet every single requirement
Imposter Syndrome can show up in remarkably different ways in different people. Speaking from my own personal experience, Imposter Syndrome deeply impacted both my physical and mental health. Additionally, I have recently re-started therapy sessions as a result of resurfacing thoughts and feelings of inadequacy linked to imposter syndrome, which continues to show up in my professional and personal worlds. In speaking to many friends, as well as the students I work with in a college setting, I know the negative impacts on my individual health are not isolated consequences of Imposter Syndrome. Nationally, we have seen an increase in health concerns related to college-aged individuals misusing stimulants such as Adderall, including increased heart rates and other cardiovascular issues. Although there have not been research publications citing a direct link between the two to date, it is not a stretch to hypothesize that the pressures created by Imposter Syndrome are one of the reasons young adults misuse these medications. — Gabby Porcaro
How to overcome imposter syndrome
Here are six steps you can take to identify and overcome your unique imposter syndrome patterns:
1. Remember that success is subjective
Success is subjective – it’s as simple as that. What success looks like to one person might not be your idea of success, and vice versa.
As much as you’re able, avoid personal comparisons – because whether it’s scrolling through a co-worker’s LinkedIn or feeling like a failure after a brunch with your seemingly super successful gal pals, you’re really just draining yourself, rather than filling your strengths.
Try getting clear on how you measure success, and what goals feel important for you to accomplish. Write your thoughts in a journal or talk with a trusted friend, and refer back to your personal aspirations when you feel yourself becoming stressed out by the successes of others.
2. Ask yourself caring, compassionate questions
Asking yourself questions of a caring and compassionate nature can trace back negative self-beliefs to their source.
In asking yourself these questions, like “What accomplishments have I made to get here?” you can remind yourself of your valid successes thus far.
Positive thinking is something that our brains actually need to practice. It’s very easy for your mind to learn and get stuck in negative thinking patterns. Actively practicing positive self-talk can help interrupt toxic thought cycles and retrain your brain to think affirming thoughts!
Although it was and continues to be scary, the best way to begin working through Imposter Syndrome is through self-reflection. I asked myself questions such as, “Who was the first person that told me I wasn’t good enough?” and explored the impact of these thoughts and actions on my current life. Tracing negative self-believes back to the source provided an incredible sense of empowerment for me, because for the first time, I recognized that the discouraging voice in my mind was not my own. This voice was created by external pressures and people in my life. Once I realized that this voice was not my own, it became easier for me to push against its harmful message and to feel at peace with myself and my work. Additionally, identifying the source of my feelings of inadequacy allowed me to begin unlinking personal worth from professional achievements. I am so much more than a “Like” on an Instagram post or a professional milestone. I am a whole human being deserving of love and respect regardless of what I do or do not “achieve.” — Gabby Porcaro
3. Set boundaries around systems or individuals who detract from your personal wellness and growth
Take stock of those who are close to you, and get real about what type of energy they bring to the relationship. Remove toxic energy from your life by disconnecting yourself from negative relationships or, at the very least, detaching yourself from the pressures and negativity from those relationships.
If there are people in your life who don’t support you or lift you up, consider cutting them out, or at least take their advice with a grain of salt. If you do end a toxic friendship, make sure to take care of yourself afterwards.
4. Take ownership of objective successes
It’s easier to swallow your successes when they’re irrefutable.
If you have imposter syndrome at work, for example, take ownership of the parts of projects that have objective performance indicators.
Likewise, take on work for which you’re uniquely qualified, so that the value of your input is undeniable.
Find ways, even small ones, to acknowledge your successes to yourself and with people close to you.
Challenge yourself to share something you are proud of with a friend or family member, or even plan a small gathering to celebrate a recent accomplishment. Then challenge yourself further to take their excitement and validation to heart.
5. Perform consistent self-care check ins
Do you have a self-care routine? Have you checked in with yourself recently to determine if all of your needs are being met? If you feel good and your body and mind are well taken care of, your confidence can flourish.
Self-care can come in many forms – from going to therapy once a week, to reciting affirmative mantras in the mirror every morning. Whatever you choose, be sure to take care of yourself mentally as much as you do physically.
After all, a clear mind will help you to see your successes for what they are: Successful.
Self-care isn’t something you achieve in one minute. It’s something you have to constantly check-in with yourself about. Learning to understand the signs of my own unwellness has been crucial. If I experience interrupted sleep for a few nights in a row, it serves as a reminder to myself that there is negativity or toxicity present in my world that I am not dealing with. Similarly, if I recognize that I am becoming reclusive from those I love, or lose interest in making plans with friends or going to the gym, that is an indicator that I am not doing as well as I might tell myself. Learning to say no to certain professional opportunities in order to give myself time to rest and reconnect with those I love has been incredibly helpful, too.
Setting and maintaining boundaries around systems or individuals that detract from my wellness has also been crucial; however, this is one particular area of my wellness and self-care journey that I do recognize I need help with. As a result, I actually very recently started a new therapeutic relationship after taking a break for some time. After experiencing some turmoil in my personal life, I recognized that feelings of inadequacy were being to take shape in a major way. (Un)fortunately, since this wasn’t the first time I’ve experienced this, so I knew that I needed help in reclaiming my sense of worth and validity. I was able to find a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist who is working with me to ensure I develop strategies to protect myself and my wellness above all else.— Gabby Porcaro
6. Speak with a therapist
Talking to a trusted therapist can help you reframe situations from an objective perspective, and provide you with resources for healthy growth. You can watch videos and book free initial calls with the right counselor for you on Zencare.co.
This type of self-reflection can be painful. So, it is crucial that you do not force yourself to complete this journey entirely by yourself. Starting to do your own personal reflection could actually begin with an external processing conversation. Reach out to a trusted friend, mentor, or family member, and ask them to help you on this journey. Additionally, as you dive deeper into self-reflection, you may begin to unearth experiences or traumas from your past that still have a significant impact on your overall well-being. If this is the case, I strongly encourage you to seek a mental health professional. I’ve returned to therapy at various points throughout my life and it is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. — Gabby Porcaro
Imposter syndrome is tough, especially because one of the lies it tells you is that you are the only person feeling this way. In reality, lots of people struggle with this and it’s totally possible to work through it and cultivate confidence. You deserve to be proud of all you have and will continue to accomplish.
Many therapists specialize in working with individuals who suffer from the impacts of imposter syndrome. A therapist can help you better understand your imposter syndrome-tendencies. Together, you’ll come up with ways to inhibit these tendencies so that you feel confident, empowered, and in-control of your emotions when it comes to acknowledging your accomplishments. Finding the right therapist begins with checking out multiple therapist profiles, which is easy to do on Zencare. Zencare includes personalized introductory videos for each therapist so you can get a feel for their approach and style. Once you find a therapist that matches your needs, schedule a consultation call with them through their Zencare profile — then you’re at the starting line for conquering your imposter syndrome.