Have you ever felt like you don’t deserve your success? Like one day, people will find out you’re not as capable as they think? That you just got what you have by mistake? If yes, you might be experiencing imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome makes us doubt ourselves, even when we’ve worked hard and earned our achievements. It is that constant string of self-doubt that keeps convincing us that we’re not good enough, that our success is just luck, and that we don’t truly belong.

The truth is—you do belong, and you are not alone.

Signs of Imposter Syndrome:
Imposter syndrome can show up in different ways:

You downplay your achievements, thinking, “Anyone could have done this.”
You constantly compare yourself to others and feel like you fall short.
You fear failure so much that you overwork yourself just to “prove” you're good enough.
You believe you have to be perfect, or else you’re a fraud.

These feelings can be overwhelming and it feels like they end up defining our self-worth. After all, we have a constant feedback loop in our minds telling us that this isn’t real, and that anybody but us could do a better job.

As a result, you might experience:
Anxiety
Self-doubt
Panic
The feeling of being “found out”

Why Do We Feel This Way?

Imposter syndrome isn’t just in your head—it comes from real pressures. Maybe someone in your past was always critical of what you did and never appreciative of your accomplishments. Maybe you had terrible experiences with exams or stage performances. In general, our culture expects us to perform diligently. We tend to appreciate only the ‘best’ and punish anything but that.

High expectations – Society often pushes us to aim for perfection, making it hard to accept mistakes.
Comparing ourselves to others – Social media shows only the best moments of people’s lives, making us feel like we’re behind.
Cultural and family pressures – In many households, success is expected, and anything less can feel like failure.
Being in new or challenging spaces – If you're the first in your family to achieve something or work in an unfamiliar environment, you might feel like you don’t belong.

How to Manage Imposter Syndrome

The good news is that these feelings aren’t permanent, even if they may feel that way. You don’t have to stay stuck in these thoughts. Here are some ways to manage them:

1. Recognize Your Thoughts

The first step is noticing when imposter syndrome creeps in. If you catch yourself thinking, I don’t deserve this, pause and label what these thoughts are. This is my Imposter-syndrome thought. After labelling your thoughts, you can ask yourself, Is this thought based on facts or feelings? Is there any factual evidence that agrees with my line of thinking?

2. Reframe Your Thinking
Instead of saying, I don’t know enough, try I’m still learning, and that’s okay.
Instead of I just got lucky, remind yourself, I worked hard for this opportunity.
Remember, the high standards that you have for yourself don’t need to be exceptionally rigid.

3. Accept That Perfection Isn’t Real

Perfection is a myth. No one knows everything, and everyone makes mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is the most human thing we can do. Even the most successful people doubt themselves sometimes. Progress is more important than perfection.

4. Keep a “Wins” List

Write down compliments, positive feedback, and achievements—big or small. When doubt creeps in, look at your list and remind yourself of how far you’ve come. These are factual evidences that your thoughts may not be true.

5. Talk About It

You’re not the only one who feels this way. Talk to a friend, mentor, or therapist. Opening up can help you realize that imposter syndrome is common and that you are not alone. Especially if you’re a novice in a field, these thoughts are more common than not.

6. Celebrate Your Successes

Give yourself credit for what you achieve. You didn’t just get lucky—you worked for it. Take a moment to appreciate how much you’ve grown.

You Belong Here

Imposter syndrome may make you feel like an outsider, but you are worthy, capable, and enough—just as you are. You don’t need to be perfect to deserve your success. You’ve earned your place.

So the next time imposter syndrome whispers, You don’t belong, remind yourself: I do. I always have.