The Success Paradox: How High Achievers Can Cope with Impostor Syndrome
Have you ever felt like a fraud?
Have you ever felt anxiety that you don't know as much as people think you know about something you're supposed to be an expert in?
Have you ever felt self-doubt and shame that you're fooling everyone, and maybe even fooling yourself?
This is how it feels to experience impostor syndrome.
Knowledge Work and the Paradox of Expertise
Visionary management consultant Peter Drucker coined the term "knowledge work" in his 1959 book The Landmarks of Tomorrow, correctly predicting that in the 21st century, knowledge would surpass capital and labor as the primary economic resource. What Drucker could not predict, however, was the rate at which technology would advance and the increasing pressure on knowledge workers to constantly adapt and adjust to a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Knowledge workers are expected to be experts in their fields, especially when they operate in senior roles, management, or executive positions. With the post-pandemic advances in artificial intelligence, knowledge workers in Silicon Valley, Seattle, and New York City — as well as emerging technology hubs in the South and Midwest — are experiencing change at an unprecedented rate regarding both the nature of work and the skills and knowledge required to do that work.
Albert Einstein once said, "the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know."
Until the Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, it was possible to know almost everything about one's domain of expertise. Expertise is no longer something that is guaranteed by a lifetime of experience, advanced training, or a graduate degree. Knowledge expands, advances, pivots, and becomes obsolete. It must constantly be pursued, or the knowledge worker will find themselves irrelevant.
The stress of constantly changing expectations and pressure to succeed can lead to self-doubt, feelings of incompetence, burnout from overwork, and anxiety from constantly trying to stay on top of the latest development in one's field. The nagging questions in the internal monologue persist: What if I'm not as smart as they think I am? What if I just got lucky all these years? What if I can't keep up?
What is Impostor Syndrome?
First identified by psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in their 1978 study The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention, Impostor Syndrome was described as an "internal experience of intellectual phoniness."
Dr. Valerie Young, co-founder of the Impostor Syndrome Institute, defines Impostor Syndrome as "the belief, consciously or unconsciously, that we are not as intelligent, capable, confident and talented as other people seem to think that we are, and this belief exists despite concrete evidence of our past accomplishments or abilities and, as a result, we have a fear of being found out."
Dr. Young has identified five types of impostor syndrome:
The Perfectionist feels that nothing they do is good enough unless it's perfect. They aren't as good as other people think they are.
The Expert believes they are fooling everyone because they don't know everything there is to know about the subject they are supposed to be an expert in.
The Natural Genius thinks they aren't as smart or talented as others believe they are. They expect for things to always come easily for them, and are disappointed when they don't get something right immediately.
The Soloist feels like an impostor because they should have been able to accomplish something on their own, but had to have help.
The Superperson feels like an impostor unless they achieve at the very highest level.
Recent studies claim that 70-80% of people will experience impostor syndrome at some point in their lives. However, impostor syndrome is commonly experienced by people who display a high level of skill and accomplishment. In fact, many high performers credit impostor syndrome with helping to motivate their achievements. Unfortunately, these same high-performers suffer from anxiety, burnout, and the inability to recognize their own success.
What causes Impostor Syndrome?
Upbringing and family dynamics are a significant factor in the development of Impostor Syndrome, especially in families where the parents were controlling, overprotective, placed a high value on achievement, or alternated between praise and criticism. Growing up in a high-conflict, low-support household has also been shown to contribute to impostor syndrome.
Personality traits such as low self-efficacy (where there is little faith in one's ability to succeed in any particular situation), perfectionism, and neuroticism have also been linked to impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome can surface when you find yourself in a new role, a new work culture, or in a leadership position with increased responsibilities. In high-pressure, information-dense fields like the tech industry in which change is the norm, it is easy to feel anxious about one's competence or level of expertise.
Ironically, the more expertise you have in an area, the more likely it is that you will feel like an impostor. True experts are aware of their limitations, and realize how much they don't know. Experts tend to view their level of mastery as the baseline; to themselves, they will never be any better than mediocre, even though they might be the top performers in their field.
Do I have Impostor Syndrome?
As of 2026, Impostor Syndrome is not recognized as a psychiatric diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). There is no criteria by which a clinician can diagnose it as a disorder. However, for the person who is experiencing it, the feelings of inadequacy, and consequences of constant pressure to perform at a high standard are very real.
Even though impostor syndrome is not considered an "official" mental illness, the chronic self-doubt and burnout can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Depression and low self-esteem intensify the experience of impostor syndrome, which in turn feeds the feelings of depression and low self-esteem, creating a cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to escape.
The following questions will help you examine the degree to which you experience impostor syndrome:
Are you an overachiever?
Are you sensitive to criticism?
Do you agonize over small mistakes?
Are you afraid you'll be discovered to be a fraud?
Do you downplay your expertise in order to manage expectations?
Are your standards so high that even your victories feel like failures?
How to cope with Impostor Syndrome
Observe your feelings. The first step to coping with impostor syndrome is learning to recognize when you're feeling it.
Meditate. A regular mindfulness meditation practice can teach you the skills you need to put space between yourself and your thoughts and emotions.
Acknowledge your victories. It's important to celebrate your achievements. Create a list of accomplishments and review it when you doubt yourself.
Talk to someone. Oftentimes the most helpful thing is to discuss your issues with someone who has an objective perspective, such as a supportive friend, mentor, or therapist.
Therapy can help
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for impostor syndrome through the same methodology used to treat anxiety and depression. Many psychological problems are caused in part by erroneous or unhelpful thoughts and patterns of behavior. Learning to recognize these distortions and patterns, then evaluating them against reality can help alleviate anxiety and foster growth in confidence in one's abilities.
If you're suffering from impostor syndrome, schedule an initial appointment with Erin Rosenblum today.