Successful Women Share Advice on How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome at Work
We’ve all seen those successful women that seemingly do it all, and do it effortlessly. What you might not realize is that behind even the most highly accomplished, incredibly impressive resume is something that you can’t see—imposter syndrome.
So, what is imposter syndrome?
Simply put, it’s self-doubt—but with imposter syndrome, it often escalates to a level of self-doubt so strong that it can make you question if you’re even qualified enough for the job.
And while one study found up to 82% of people have experienced it at some point in time, women are more likely to deal with it, with another study finding that 75% of female executives across industries have faced imposter syndrome in their careers.
There are a variety of reasons why this can happen, but it’s important to learn how to overcome imposter syndrome so you can live your life with more confidence and self-esteem, and learn to celebrate your success. The successful women and experts below share their tips to help you do just that.
Read more: 10 Books on Confidence to Boost Your Self-Esteem
1. Don't let it stop you
“I don’t believe anyone is immune to imposter syndrome. For me, it usually kicks in just as I’m doing something for the first time that really matters to me. It’s not uncommon for me to underestimate the things I do well and focus intensely on the things that feel hard and unfamiliar. When that happens, I have to make a point of reminding myself that I’ve done new things before and I can do so again.
I read something recently that said, ‘imposter syndrome is actually great because it’s a sign that you’re growing,’ and I really like that way of thinking about it. Just accept it, acknowledge it, but don’t let it stop you. Through my training as a career coach, and from being coached myself, I learned that I needed to take control of my thoughts and not allow any negative thinking to impede my actions.”
2. Switch your perspective
“I’ve been in my field for over 20 years, and I think a lot of the change of perspective has come with time. I know now that I deserve to be where I am because I bring something to the table and that I offer a unique perspective and different way of approaching things.
I think a change of perspective also comes when you look at colleagues in your field as bringing their own unique perspectives and ideas. There is a place for different ideas and open discussion; challenging each other in a growth-focused way makes everyone better at what they do—and should be part of all personal and professional development.”
COO and CMO
3. Trust your gut
“I felt like an impostor when I first became a regional underwriting manager. When a team member asked me a question, I would provide them with an answer and second-guess myself, although I knew the answer I provided was the right one. One thought popped into my head regularly, ‘Why would they listen to me?’
I noticed this pattern of second-guessing myself quickly. I realized I was an expert and needed to own it! After a couple of weeks, I started trusting my gut. I would work with my team members to find the answer if I didn’t know the answer. One thing that helped me earn my team’s respect was that I would tell them when I didn’t know something instead of making it up.”
Certified High-Performance Coach, Professional speaker
4. Recognize your strengths
“I moved from being a hard-hat-wearing engineer to eventually becoming a technology writer, and I struggled with imposter syndrome when I had to quiz fellow engineers about particular software attributes. Was I asking the right questions? How do I translate this into technical documentation? But what changed my perspective is realizing that folks hire me for my strengths. I am an engineer who can write. That’s a very special niche to occupy and there’s value in it.”
Technical content marketing writer
5. Reflect on your past achievements
“I’ve experienced imposter syndrome most acutely in my career as I stepped into new opportunities, such as assuming greater leadership responsibilities. This came up for me recently when I was launching my business, EvolveMe, with Linda Lautenberg, as I had never been an entrepreneur before! Would I be able to pull this off? I had credibility as a nonprofit leader but doubted whether my skills would translate in the broader marketplace.
Changing my perspective involved reframing negative thoughts and instead focusing on my strengths and achievements. I took stock of my recent successes and the positive feedback from my colleagues, who offered encouragement and perspective. Often, we need to get out of our own heads and the inner voices that hold us back.”
Co-founder
6. Invest in personal growth
“I’ve absolutely experienced it in a big way, throughout my 18-year corporate career and beyond. One clear example is when I served as a Director of Product Development and Research in New York City.
Despite the fact that I had strong success in the role, and the organization developed and launched many new products that were successful, deep down I was continually worried and afraid that I wasn’t good enough and that I perhaps didn’t deserve the role.
I didn’t actually overcome it until I left corporate life, earned a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and deeply studied challenges women face. I now see it for what it is and don’t let the doubts and fears take over. I know what I’m capable of and have true confidence in my abilities now.
But that process has emerged over years of working through these challenges, working through my fears and doubts in therapy, having powerful mentors and sponsors who help me see clearly what my talents and abilities are, as well as getting additional training and learning when I feel it’s needed.”
Founder/President
7. Stop overthinking
“Overthinking and over-preparing didn’t help me at all. I sometimes felt I needed to be over-prepared for whatever I was working on that felt new. I quickly learned I didn’t need to overthink certain things and just needed to trust that I would rise to the occasion. Thinking positively was the most impactful step I could take.”
Octavia Goredema
Read more: 10 Hacks to Help You Stop Overthinking
8. Don't tie your worth to what you do
“When I pin my worth or my value as a coach or a human being to anything outside of myself, I’m in trouble. This comes from an old pattern of equating my worthiness of love and belonging to what I do or don’t do, rather than who I am.
Absolutes and universals are a sign we’ve lost the plot. When our voice of ‘not-enoughness’ speaks to us in absolute and universal terms, painting something as entirely or categorically ‘bad,’ we’re off track. This was helpful to hear because I could sense the lack of nuance and truth in my statements as I listened to my thoughts categorize entire parts of my life as bad or not enough—it just wasn’t true.”
9. Don't compare yourself to others
“As a new manager, I wondered how the former manager would have handled my situation. However, I later realized that such thoughts weren’t helpful as I was the current manager, and I needed to trust my abilities and bring my perspective to the situation. I had to analyze the problem, come up with possible solutions, and select the best solution according to my knowledge and experience.
Trying to emulate the behavior of experienced managers didn’t help either. I was searching for answers externally when I should have been looking for answers within myself. I realized I needed to understand that I had to carve my path and not follow someone else’s.”
Rosie Zilinskas
10. Embrace challenges
“One of the most powerful ways I’ve avoided imposter syndrome is by embracing a growth mindset and viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth—that we can develop at any age and stage. This has helped shift my mindset from self-doubt to resilience, especially as I took on new roles in my 40s and 50s. It’s never too late!
Addressing feelings of self-doubt has benefited me, as I’ve been able to take on new challenges with confidence. I would not have had success as an entrepreneur in this next chapter of my career if I had let my fear stand in my way.
Having a purpose—knowing that I wanted to pay my experience forward to other women in midlife—helped me get beyond self-doubt and take action. If self-doubt got the best of me, I would have stayed stuck and regretted that.”
Judy Schoenberg
11. Accept not knowing everything
“I don’t hesitate to ask questions and don’t pretend to know more than I do. I’m transparent about my background and start out by saying that I will likely be asking basic questions. This helps set the stage for in-depth discussions.
My curiosity to learn new things is more than my fear of imposter syndrome. I’ve cultivated that over time. Overcoming imposter syndrome has helped me say yes to moonshot assignments on topics a little bit outside my regular beats. But I’ve learned it all by doing and delivering results.”
Poornima Apte
12. Remember what makes you you
“I have a protocol for dealing with feelings of low self-worth and high self-doubt. First, I find something good about myself that I know to be true that doesn’t have to do with my relationship to others. It’s tempting to say, ‘I’m a good daughter or a great friend,’ but that again equates my self-worth to what I do for others. Instead, I find enduring qualities of my spirit that show up continuously, like, ‘I am determined, I am kind, I am loving.’
Second, I find the part of me that is experiencing self-doubt and I send that part of me the very kindness, love, and determination that I always have access to. That allows me to tend to my unmet need for love and connection while reminding myself that I am not those self-doubt voices.”
Brooke Taylor
13. Take time for self-reflection
“It’s really just about having self-awareness about my own strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing self-doubt and acknowledging it was one of the best things I could have done. It helped me look at why I felt that way and what it meant. And, yes, therapy was part of that journey, too! It gave me an opportunity to look at areas I could improve and then build out the tools and plans to do so.”
Kim Baker
14. Find your own leadership style
“I haven’t struggled a lot with this because I know that imposter syndrome comes from systems of oppression designed to keep women small. But when I work with high-performing female leaders, what helps quiet self-doubt is working with them to connect with their natural leadership blueprint, so that they no longer feel like they have to pretend to be a certain way as a leader or someone they’re not and can finally give themselves permission to be who they most naturally are as a leader.
From here, I help them connect with their unique gifts and create more opportunities to use them at work and in life. When you use your gifts more consistently and get to use them in healthy workplace cultures, you’ll find that feelings of imposter syndrome naturally decrease and you connect with your natural born confidence.”
Adrienne Partridge, Ph.D
Somatic Leadership and Career Coach
Read more: 6 Common Leadership Styles and How to Find the Approach That’s Right For You
15. Keep pushing yourself
“Over the course of my career I’ve learned how to shift my mindset when I’m questioning myself or my abilities. Learning how to switch gears and keep aiming high has enabled me to keep pursuing opportunities that excite me and that’s something I’m really proud of. I learned how to pick myself up and keep pushing.
I recently became the CEO of a new tech startup that secured its first investors. I’ve never raised capital before but instead of doubting whether I could do it, I decided to go all in. This required me to believe I could do it and not attach my own self-worth to any rejections that came our way. When I heard the first ‘yes, we’ll invest,’ it was a reminder of the importance of maintaining self-belief regardless of whether you hear positive affirmations or negative critiques.”
Goredema
16. Welcome learning and development
“From my personal experience, I’ve observed that imposter syndrome occurs when I’m in an unfamiliar or unprepared circumstance. To cope with it, I try to befriend and become curious about it.
If I think I’m not a good leader or instructor, I ask myself, ‘Is it true that I am not a good leader?’ Typically, the answer to those questions is that I am a good leader or instructor yet need more clarity, direction, knowledge, preparation, etc., to be comfortable and lessen the imposter syndrome for the specific situation.”
Zilinskas
17. Seek support systems
“Imposter syndrome is a feeling, not a fact. Recognizing the type of imposter syndrome you're experiencing—how it shows up in you—is the first step in overcoming it. Seek support from peers, mentors, or professional networks. Acknowledge your worth and embracing your unique strengths are essential in silencing the voice of self-doubt.”
Co-founder
18. List your accomplishments…
“For the past six years I’ve maintained a list of my accomplishments. At the end of each week, I think about what I’m proud of, what I’ve learned, or what I’ve experienced. I document it all. I’ve been doing this for so long that I now have a long list of proof points that remind me, on tough days, just what I’m capable of.
That growing list has helped me realize the momentum I’m building. Remembering my accomplishments has enabled me to talk with confidence about my work. That in turn has enabled me to reach for incredible opportunities such as getting a book deal, making a series for Audible, and raising capital for my new company.”
Goredema
19. …and showcase them!
“I always encourage my clients (and myself) to make self-promotion and self-advocacy a habit. What’s one thing I can do today to gain exposure around my good work? It’s not bragging if it’s factual; stating the impact of your work just as factually as you would quote a stat is confidence- boosting and makes a huge difference in your career.”
Taylor
20. Focus on your wins
“Remember the small wins as well as the big ones. In the moment, it’s easy to underestimate or dismiss the value in what we do. It’s human nature to focus on what we haven’t done, or what we struggle with. We need to be intentional about fully embracing and recognizing the areas where we consistently excel.”
Goredema
21. Normalize being vulnerable
“Recognize that you’re not alone and that feelings of self-doubt are common, especially in environments where you may be the minority or facing unique challenges. Talk to other women about the issues you’re facing. Chances are they’re feeling the same thing! When we normalize feelings of vulnerability, we give them less power and collectively we can overcome them together.”
Schoenberg
22. Celebrate your uniqueness
“The best advice would be to start today to recognize more fully your talents, abilities and gifts. Don’t let imposter syndrome stand one more minute. We need to recognize it for what it is— unrealistic fears and doubts that aren’t grounded in reality—and for most women, we need outside help and perspective to overcome it.
We simply can’t see it for what it is because we’ve been so ingrained to doubt our abilities and talents and to shun power and confidence. Each and every one of us has special gifts and talents. We’re each like a thumbprint—unique and different from everyone else on the planet.”
Caprino
23. Let go of perfectionism
“Often, imposter syndrome manifests as the need to prove that you can do it all and be the best at everything you do. The best thing I’ve learned from this experience is that you don’t have to excel at everything or do everything yourself. When you realize you can focus on your strengths and allow others to partner with you in areas that don’t come naturally to you, that’s confidence-building!”
Lautenberg
24. Don't rule yourself out
“Be brave, bold, and take action. When showcasing your abilities—whether during a performance review, networking event, or interview—you must be confident and not shy away from highlighting your accomplishments.
Remember, nobody else will advocate for you the way you can. When interested in a job you’re not certain you qualify for, apply anyway. Don’t make the decision that you don’t qualify by not applying. Let others make that decision. Never underestimate your potential.”
Zilinskas
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