- Imposter syndrome makes you feel like you're surrounded by people who are more talented or capable.
- But you can combat this feeling by taking steps like making a list of all your accomplishments.
- You can also find a mentor to help give you a more objective view of your capabilities and progress.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.
Imposter syndrome often strikes while you're at work or school — it's the feeling that you don't belong and you're less capable than the people around you. It also comes with the fear that you'll fail and other people will find out you're a fake.
If you have imposter syndrome, you may start to doubt yourself, keep quiet, and defer to other people's opinions.
Here are eight ways to combat imposter syndrome and recognize your own self-worth.
1. Remember you're not alone
Imposter syndrome can make you feel like everyone else has their life or work all figured out, while you're the only person struggling. But the feeling is actually common — seven out of ten people will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their life.
And it's not just you — there are bigger social factors that may put you at greater risk for imposter syndrome. A 2019 review of 62 studies found that imposter syndrome is especially common for people from ethnic minority groups.
2. Talk about it with others
Talking to people you trust about your feelings may help reassure you about your value. If you stew about your shortcomings privately, then you may lead yourself down a spiral of self-doubt. But getting an outside perspective may help you to see things more realistically.
Plus, opening up about your fears can also encourage vulnerability from the person you're talking to. Sometimes, people who seem confident on the outside might share some of the same self-doubts you have.
But choose who you talk to carefully — make sure to pick someone who you feel is empathetic and understanding. Otherwise, they may make you feel worse by telling you that your feelings aren't valid, says Valerie Young, EdD, an author, speaker, and co-founder of the Impostor Syndrome Institute.
3. Fake it 'til you make it
Imposter syndrome may fade as you become more used to your work or school. But in the meantime, you may need to act confident even if you don't always feel that way inside.
"Keep going regardless of how you feel — meaning, don't wait until you feel confident before you step up your game," Young says. You may need to push yourself to speak in meetings and share your opinions until this becomes more natural.
4. Look at the evidence
"People who feel like impostors often focus solely on the evidence that supports their impostor feelings," Young says. You may obsess over the one typo in your report or the one point you forgot to make in your presentation.
It can help to force yourself to see all the things you're doing well. "List your successes. Work to affirm yourself from within," says Audrey Ervin, PhD, a licensed psychologist and professor at Delaware Valley University.
5. Accept mistakes and failure
"The common, core source of impostor syndrome is an unrealistic, unsustainable definition of competence," Young says. You may tell yourself that you're not a real PhD student unless you get an A+ on every paper, or you're not a real writer unless your first book is a bestseller.
"You can't overcome impostor syndrome until you accept that mistakes and failure are part of the process," Young says.
6. Challenge your own doubts
"The only way to stop feeling like an impostor is to stop thinking like an impostor," Young says. It's important to catch yourself when you have a thought like "I'm not good enough" and challenge your own assumptions.
"Pay attention to what you are telling yourself," Ervin says. Ervin recommends asking yourself questions like:
- Does this thought help or hinder me?
- Is this thought true?
- Is there another possible truth?
7. See a therapist
If your imposter syndrome is so bad that it's interfering with your life, you may want to seek out a therapist.
According to Ervin, there are two types of therapy that may help:
- Mindfulness-based therapy may help people "reflect on distressing feelings associated with imposter syndrome and foster more compassionate, accepting ways of relating to oneself," Ervin says
- Cognitive behavioral therapy can help to "identify and replace maladaptive patterns of thinking, such as "everyone will find out I am incompetent," says Ervin.
8. Find a mentor
Finding a mentor in your field can help give you a more objective view of your progress. A mentor can also act as an example for "a realistic understanding of competence and a healthy response to failure, mistakes, constructive criticism, and fear," Young says.
If you feel like you don't belong, it may be especially helpful to find a mentor who shares your identity or background. For example, you can connect with another woman if you're in a mostly male field or you can connect with a Black professor if you're at a majority white school.
Insider's takeaway
Imposter syndrome is an uncomfortable feeling that can make you doubt yourself and feel alone at work or school.
Accepting your mistakes, faking self-assurance, and connecting with a mentor can all help you counteract negative thoughts and feel more confident in your own abilities.