Taming the Impostor Within: A Reminder for (not only) Every High Achiever

Taming the Impostor Within: A Reminder for (not only) Every High Achiever Yes - you can be competent and still doubt yourself. Impostor Syndrome is more common than you might think. Whether you identify as a high-achiever, a professional stepping into a new or challenging role, a perfectionist, or someone shaped by past criticism or negative feedback, there’s a good chance impostor thoughts have shown up at some point on your journey — and they might show up again. I recently pulled together an article titled “Taming the Impostor Within,” where I explore what impostor syndrome really is and share tools to fight back. Here are a few insights I found worth sharing: What is Impostor Syndrome? It often shows up with these recurring patterns: • Persistent feelings of inadequacy – The belief that you're not as capable as others think, even when there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary. • Fear of being exposed as a fraud – Anxiety that people will “find out” you’re not really as skilled or intelligent as you appear. • Attributing success to external factors – Brushing off your achievements as luck, good timing, or help from others rather than your own effort. • Internalizing failure – Using mistakes or setbacks as proof that you’re not good enough. • Perfectionism and overworking – Trying to compensate through excessive effort, often leading to stress and burnout. • Discounting compliments and praise – Feeling like any recognition is unearned or insincere. • Chronic anxiety and self-doubt – Living under the pressure to constantly perform and never be “found out.” How Does It Manifest? What is your internal voice that fuels it? • Mind-reading: Assuming others are thinking negatively about you without any real evidence. • Labeling: Calling yourself a failure or incompetent based on a single mistake. • Catastrophizing: Believing one small misstep will lead to disaster. • Unfair comparison: Measuring yourself against others while ignoring your own strengths. • All-or-nothing thinking: If it’s not perfect, it’s worthless. • Discounting the positive: Dismissing praise or success as flukes or undeserved. • Magnifying flaws / Minimizing strengths: Focusing on your shortcomings and ignoring your capabilities. • Fear of being “found out”: Constant worry that people will discover you’re not as good as they think. • Overworking and overcompensating: Feeling the need to prove your worth by doing more than everyone else. • Emotional reasoning: “I feel like a fraud — so I must be one.” • “Should” statements: Holding yourself to unrealistic expectations, then feeling guilty when you fall short. If you’d like to explore what you can do to tame the impostor within you, check out the free podcast called: Taming the Impostor Within.