Let’s start with the quiet lie that gets whispered in your ear when things start going well: “You don’t deserve this.” Maybe it shows up after a job offer, a compliment, or a stretch of momentum that you didn’t see coming. That creeping doubt, the nagging fear of being exposed as a phony, isn’t unique to you. It has a name—imposter syndrome—and it thrives in silence, feeding on your accomplishments and flipping them into proof that you’re just fooling everyone. But here’s the truth: you’re not alone, and you’re not broken. You’re just human, and this particular human flaw has antidotes. You just need to learn how to spot it, how to interrupt it, and how to start showing up as the version of yourself you keep trying to prove you are.

The Internal Echo Chamber That Won’t Shut Up

The first symptom usually isn’t loud. It’s subtle—an inner voice that undercuts every win with a caveat. Instead of thinking “I earned this,” you catch yourself saying things like “I just got lucky,” or “They must have low standards.” It’s the voice that edits out your work ethic and skillset in favor of some invisible stroke of luck. The problem isn’t that you hear that voice; it’s that you believe it more than the applause.

You Set the Bar Higher Than Reality Can Reach

Another giveaway? You’re setting impossibly high standards—ones you’d never expect from anyone else. You might rewrite emails five times before sending them or over-prepare for meetings that don’t require it. These habits can look like diligence, but they’re really about trying to cover up the “flaws” that you assume will give you away. What’s worse is that this self-imposed pressure often leads to burnout, which just makes the cycle spin faster.

You Try to Make Sense of a Jumbled Paper Trail

Staying organized doesn’t have to mean drowning in file folders and loose sheets tucked into drawers. By scanning and digitizing your important records, you can store everything neatly in one place—without the clutter. The process of adding pages to PDFs gives you the flexibility to combine documents, reorder them as needed, and even remove or rotate pages so everything stays clear and coherent. It’s a small shift in habit, but one that saves time, reduces stress, and makes finding what you need exactly when you need it almost effortless.

You Avoid Taking Risks Because Failure Feels Fatal

Imposter syndrome doesn’t just make you question your successes—it also paralyzes you when it comes to taking risks. You second-guess yourself into inaction, afraid that failure will confirm everyone’s worst suspicions (especially your own). This makes growth feel dangerous. It’s not that you lack ambition; you’re just scared that pushing forward might reveal you’ve been in over your head all along.

You Compare Yourself to Everyone and Come Up Short

Social comparison becomes a full-time job when you’re trapped in this mindset. You scan your colleagues, friends, and even strangers on LinkedIn to measure whether you’re doing “enough.” Spoiler alert: you always end up losing. The irony is that the people you compare yourself to are probably doing the same thing. The real failure isn’t falling behind—it’s believing there’s a fixed scoreboard in the first place.

The Need for Constant Validation Becomes Exhausting

Even when you do get praise or validation, it doesn’t stick. You need external reinforcement again and again just to stay afloat. But because imposter syndrome makes you distrust compliments, you can’t even enjoy them when they arrive. This hunger for approval turns into a kind of emotional dependency—one where you’re chasing evidence of your worth instead of owning it from within.

Shifting Out of Survival Mode with Support

Now, let’s talk about moving forward. This isn’t something you always fix alone. That’s where working with someone like Lisa Hammett can make a difference. She brings a mix of wellness coaching and mindset work to the table, which helps untangle the beliefs behind the behavior. It’s not about turning you into someone new; it’s about helping you reconnect with who you already are underneath the noise. Lisa can help you identify the emotional patterns, build healthy routines, and learn how to respond differently when that inner critic starts ranting again.

Small Steps That Rewrite the Script

You don’t need a personality overhaul to start shifting out of imposter syndrome. Sometimes, it’s as simple as documenting your wins instead of dismissing them. Or getting comfortable saying “thank you” without an explanation when someone gives you a compliment. Maybe it’s opening up to a trusted friend or mentor and saying, “Hey, I’ve been feeling this way—has this ever happened to you?” You’d be surprised how quickly shame dissolves when it’s met with shared experience.

Celebrating Progress Instead of Perfection

The real work isn’t about erasing doubt; it’s about not letting it make your choices for you. You might still feel nervous walking into a new opportunity—but that doesn’t mean you’re faking it. It means you’re growing. And growth rarely feels graceful while it’s happening. When you start to celebrate progress instead of perfection, imposter syndrome loses its grip because you’re no longer playing a game you can’t win.

Imposter syndrome is a liar, but it’s a convincing one. It tells you that you’ve tricked people into believing in you, that your success is temporary, and that sooner or later the truth will come out. But here’s the reality: the work you’ve done, the energy you’ve poured in, the way you keep showing up—none of that is an accident. You belong here. You always have. The challenge isn’t becoming worthy—it’s recognizing that you already are.

Unlock your potential and transform your life with insights from Lisa Hammett, a transformational keynote speaker and wellness coach dedicated to helping you achieve sustainable personal development and mental fitness.