imposter syndrome
Undeserved success fear
Imposter syndrome is the persistent feeling that you don't deserve your achievements—that you've fooled everyone into thinking you're competent and will eventually be exposed as a fraud.
Common among high achievers, it dismisses evidence of genuine success as luck or timing: Despite her promotions, imposter syndrome made her feel like she was faking it.
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- self-doubtUncertainty about oneself
- inner criticHarsh internal self-judgment
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
- pretenderIllegitimate claimant to power
feeling like a fraud · fake · faking it · undeserving · anxiety · not good enough · perfectionism · high achiever · overachiever · unqualified · phony · insecurity · masking · doubt · worthless · comparison · failure · accomplishment
- Anxietyanxiety, nervousness, panic, worry, generalized anxiety
- identityidentity, personal identity, self, selfhood, self-expression
- insecuritiesinsecurity, self-doubt, low self-esteem, inadequacy, inferiority
- performance anxietystage fright, choking, freezing up, jitters, nerves
- psychobabbletriggered, gaslighting, toxic, trauma bond, narcissist
- self-doubtinsecurity, inadequacy, low self-esteem, self-criticism, self-doubt
imposter syndromeDunning-Kruger effect
Novices overestimate their abilities
overconfidence · grandiosity · delusions of grandeur · narcissism · self-aggrandizement
imposter syndromeself-assurance
Confidence in one's abilities
self-belief · swagger · boldness · confidence · self-confidence
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