Impostor Syndrome: Why You Keep Doubting Yourself

At the end of my last article on perfectionism, I promised you that I would talk about what often hides behind this obsessive desire to make everything absolutely perfect. You guessed it: fear.

Right before a presentation. Right before a meeting with a client. Right before defending a project.

You've got everything ready. But then a thought comes to mind, a little voice inside you screaming, “What if someone finds out I'm not good enough?”

That feeling has a name: impostor syndrome. I find myself often doubting my abilities. Believing that I am not as capable as I would like to believe. This feeling has been eating away at me for a long time.

Maybe that's what you're going through right now: the persistent conviction that you don't deserve your place, that you're fooling others, even though there's clear evidence of your skills.

You're not crazy: this is scientific (and proven by statistics)

This term was introduced in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. They observed that many highly competent people believed their success was due to:

luck,
right timing,
or someone else's “misjudgment.”

Recent research indicates that nearly 70% of people will experience at least one period of imposter syndrome in their lifetime. This means you are not alone. You are statistically normal.

Even Albert Einstein suffered from it. At the end of his life, he admitted: "The exaggerated esteem in which my life's work is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler."

Why Doubt Grows As You Improve

If you recognize yourself here, you have probably noticed a paradox: the more you improve, the more doubt grows. Why?

Because the more skilled you become, the more aware you are of what you do not know. That is the Dunning-Kruger effect: beginners overestimate their abilities, while the most competent people tend to underestimate them.

In other words, if you doubt the quality of your coding or your project, it could be precisely because you are aware of its complexity. This is a sign of maturity.

Perfectionism and Impostor Syndrome: a toxic combination

There is a direct link to my previous article. But there is one crucial nuance to understand:

Perfectionism says: "Your work is not good enough."
Impostor syndrome says: "You are not good enough."

The first criticizes your work. The second criticizes your identity. Together, they can paralyze you for years.

What If You Were Actually an Impostor?

Let's go further. Let's be provocative. What if, somewhere along the way, you accepted an opportunity or a freelance project slightly above your current level?

Well... that is exactly how you grow. You move forward on the principle of: "Fake it until you make it."

Note: this is not about lying on your resume. It is about accepting a challenge and becoming qualified along the way. Someone trusted you? Then prove they were right.

How to get rid of it (or manage it)?

The real danger is not doubting yourself. It's being paralyzed: not trying anything new, staying isolated to avoid criticism, or self-sabotaging. This isn't compatible with the life of an entrepreneur or software developer.

The very first step is to realize that your reactions are often dictated by this syndrome. With that in mind, here is a 3-step action plan to move forward:

1. Your attitude towards your goals

Take it easy: Set yourself achievable goals. Split your big goals into smaller steps. This will help you see yourself making actual progress - your goals may be challenging, but they are achievable.
Celebrate every milestone: A bug fixed, your first sale, your first 100 subscribers. This isn't the time to go out and spend all your money on wine or beer, just take a moment to tell your brain, “Look, I'm legit and competent.”

2. Your attitude towards others

Others are not interested: It's time to come back into reality. Unless you were an internationally famous celebrity, even when you make mistakes, it will help you to grow and will eventually be forgotten. You can relax.
Stop comparing yourself to others, start getting inspired: Comparing your beginnings with someone else's brilliant success only serves to make you feel worthless. See that other person as proof that it's possible, not as a measure of your worth.

Your attitude towards yourself

Be objective (the well-known Brag Document): Does your brain tell you that you're useless? Fight back with evidence. Record your achievements and positive reviews.
Trust your friends and family and your clients: You're not always the best judge of yourself. So accept and appreciate their compliments. If their opinion of you is good, they're most likely right.
Be nice to yourself: Shut out that little voice in your head that's making you feel bad. Want to be nice to everyone? Start with yourself.

In conclusion: you are growing

Having doubts doesn't mean you're useless. It means you care about your work.

Feel free to take the dive. You can build up your skills. You can become more legitimate by taking action. Don't look for perfect validation. Look for ways to improve.

And what if you really were an impostor? Then this is the perfect way to prove yourself.

Let's keep moving forward, doubting sometimes - often, but above all, keep creating and sharing.