I Feel Like a Fraud: Signs & Therapy for Imposter Syndrome
- ✓I dismiss every win as luck, timing, or a mistake in their hiring process
- ✓I'm exhausted from over-preparing to avoid being 'found out'
- ✓My boss praised me yesterday and I've been replaying how to 'live up to it' ever since
You're not broken—you're caught in a loop where achievement can't reach self-worth.
Up to 70% of high achievers experience imposter feelings, especially under pressure. According to research in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, it's not a personality flaw—it's a pattern that therapy can shift.
This pattern often shows up when you're capable but can't internalize success. It's common in high-achievers, perfectionists, and people who've had to work twice as hard to be seen. The [inner critic](/topics/self-image/inner-critic) keeps moving the goalposts, so no achievement ever feels like enough.
Why Imposter Syndrome Keeps You Stuck
Imposter syndrome is fueled by a harsh inner voice that treats praise as a clerical error and attributes success to external factors. Research shows this pattern often develops when achievement becomes tied to self-worth, creating a cycle where nothing you do feels like 'enough.' Cognitive-behavioral approaches help you challenge the disqualifying thoughts and build [self-compassion](/topics/self-image/inner-critic) that doesn't depend on flawless performance.
Signs You're Dealing With Imposter Syndrome
- •**You Attribute Wins to Luck:** External factors like timing, charm, or 'they were just being nice' explain every success.
- •**The Goalposts Keep Moving:** Each achievement immediately raises the bar, so you're forever falling short.
- •**Visibility Feels Dangerous:** Promotions, praise, or public recognition spike anxiety about being 'found out.'
- •**You Crash After Success:** Instead of celebrating, you feel drained, anxious, or certain you've fooled everyone.
Something to try
The Evidence Log (CBT-Based)
For one week, write down every positive feedback, achievement, or compliment—without dismissing it. Note what your imposter voice says, then write one neutral fact that contradicts it. Review weekly. This builds a paper trail your brain can't dismiss as luck, gradually weakening the fraud narrative.
This is like collecting receipts—necessary but not enough. To change the pattern, you need support that addresses why your self-worth became performance-based in the first place.
What to expect in therapy
Therapy often combines CBT to challenge disqualifying thoughts with Compassion-Focused Therapy to build self-worth that isn't contingent on achievement. You might also explore how perfectionism or past experiences shaped this pattern.
With the right support, you can learn to internalize your success and feel like you truly belong in the rooms you've earned your way into.
Ready for support that fits?
If you've read every 'confidence hack' and still feel like a fraud, generic advice isn't the problem—it's that your pattern needs a specific approach. You don't have to figure out which therapy works; we map your triggers and match you to a specialist who gets it.