Impostor phenomenon
The feeling that your success is undeserved and that sooner or later you will be found out.
The impostor phenomenon is the persistent belief that one's success is undeserved, despite objective evidence to the contrary. People who experience it credit their achievements to luck, timing, or others, and fear being exposed as a fraud. It is not a diagnosis, and it is common among high achievers.
Last updated: September 20, 2026 · Editorially responsible: MindBright editorial team
A stable pattern of self-doubt that discounts success and expects failure.
Not modesty and not a realistic self-assessment. The evidence contradicts the feeling.
Because it pushes people with high responsibility to overwork or to turn down opportunities.
Origin and research
Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes described the phenomenon in 1978 among successful women who considered their achievements undeserved despite degrees, awards, and recognition. Later studies found it in men as well, across many professions and at every level of hierarchy. Clance and Imes deliberately chose the word phenomenon to stress that it is not a psychological disorder.
A 2020 systematic review by Dena Bravata and colleagues covered 62 studies. It found links with burnout, depressive symptoms, and lower job satisfaction. How common the phenomenon is depends heavily on how it is measured.
For high performers
Every promotion raises the stakes, and often the feeling of being here by accident rises with it. Many leaders respond by working more: one more round of preparation, one more pass, so nobody notices. When the task succeeds, they credit the extra work, and the feeling stays.
A sober look at the evidence helps. Write down which decisions of the past months worked out and what your share in them was. The feeling will not vanish at once, but it now has a counterweight. The list is especially valuable right before the next big assignment.
Distinctions
vs. Perfectionism
Perfectionism sets the bar too high. The impostor phenomenon doubts that you have cleared the bar, even when you did long ago.
vs. Modesty
Modesty is an outward stance. The impostor phenomenon is an inner conviction that comes with the fear of being exposed.
vs. Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy is the expectation that you can make things happen. The impostor phenomenon treats even what you have already achieved as chance.
Frequently asked questions
What is impostor syndrome?
Another name for the impostor phenomenon: the belief that you have not earned your success and will eventually be found out. The word syndrome is misleading, since it is not a medical diagnosis.
Who experiences impostor syndrome?
People in many professions and at every career stage, especially after moving into a new role. It shows up disproportionately among people who are objectively successful. Reviews report very different rates depending on the measurement used.
How do I overcome impostor syndrome?
By confronting it with evidence, for example a written list of decisions that worked out and your share in them. Talking with peers in similar roles also helps, because many of them know the feeling.
Related terms
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