Julie was smart and competent, yet her less qualified colleagues surpassed her. Imposter syndrome held her back

The Guardian

16 hours ago

'I wish I could carry myself with the confidence of a politician. Especially a male one. They're always so confident. Never rattled, completely immune to others' opinions.'
Julie's* intelligence and quick wit seemed to belie the very reason for attending therapy – despite reams of qualifications and years of professional experience, she felt dissatisfied with her work achievements. Having never put herself forth for a promotion, Julie had spent the better part of two decades being surpassed in position and remuneration by younger, less qualified (and mostly male) colleagues. Deflated and discouraged, Julie's avoidance of career advancement only sought to reinforce negative self-beliefs about her intelligence and competence.
'I know I could do a higher role. Sometimes, I think I could do it with my eyes closed. But what if I can't, and then I'm found out to be a fake?'
Julie was exhibiting hallmark characteristics of impostor syndrome. This phenomenon is defined by consistent doubt of one's own accomplishments, feeling undeserving of success or achievement, and fear of being exposed as a fraud, despite evidence to the contrary. While not a clinical diagnosis, this 'therapy speak' term is now very much entrenched in everyday language.
I empathised with Julie's position. As a psychology student and trainee therapist, I also experienced feelings of imposition. Competitive selection criteria and demanding training requirements make psychology studies an ideal breeding ground for impostor syndrome. Convinced that my admission to postgraduate training had been a clerical error, I'd spent a long summer fretting that I would be found to be a 'phoney' on the first day of semester.
First identified and investigated in the 1970s, research into impostor syndrome focused on the self-doubt commonly experienced by high-achieving professional women. Men were observed to experience less impostor syndrome than women, even in instances where they had less professional experience or objectively inferior qualifications.
Like many pseudo-diagnostic terms, concept creep means that 'impostor syndrome' is now used beyond its original definition. Psychological discomfort in a work or social setting is not necessarily impostor syndrome; most people feel nervous in situations such as starting a new job, going on a first date, speaking in public, or attending a social event where they are expecting to know few other guests.
Rather, impostor syndrome is defined by thoughts and feelings about one's intellectual parity and deservedness of success or achievement. The comparison to an individual or group of people must also be unfair or unrealistic. An amateur footballer is not expected to play at the same level as a professional; feelings of inferiority or envy that arise from this comparison are a reflection of reality, rather than indicative of impostor syndrome.
Understandably, we often seek to push away or suppress psychological discomfort or distress associated with impostor syndrome. Many people convinced they are impostors seek consolation from others about their skills or the unfairness of a situation (such as a colleague being promoted). This provides temporary reassurance but does little to ameliorate the underlying causes of impostor syndrome.
As impostor syndrome is not a clinical diagnosis, no recognised or standardised treatment exists. Instead, therapeutic work can focus on specific aspects of impostor syndrome, such as self-esteem, identity and anxiety. Assertiveness training can also be helpful. Exploring these underpinning characteristics can be effective in shifting mindset and behaviour around deservedness.
For Julie, valuable insight was gained by viewing impostor syndrome as a defence mechanism: in never seeking a promotion, Julie never risked rejection, thus defending herself against disappointment or failure.
Understanding the origins of Julie's impostor syndrome was an important step, but a practical element was also needed. Together, we devised a whimsical approach. Rather than 'fake it until you make it', we termed the approach 'making it, not faking it'.
In moments of self-doubt, Julie adopted the internal voice of a well known male politician. How would he answer questions about qualifications and work experience? What would he say in a job interview or meeting with colleagues? What would be the tone of his voice, the cadence of his speech? This challenged Julie's thinking and temporarily quelled thoughts of being an impostor.
Julie's personality and temperament would never transform into that of the politician being channelled, nor would we wish her to become someone or something she is not. But gaining a glimpse into that alternate persona allowed Julie to stop apologising for her success – and move towards celebrating it.
* Julie is a fictitious amalgam to exemplify similar cases
Dr Bianca Denny is a clinical psychologist based in Melbourne. She is the author of Talk To Me: Lessons from Patients and their Therapist