Imposter syndrome: why capable people can be hardest on themselves

Some of the most capable people I work with are also the hardest on themselves.

From the outside, that can seem surprising. They are intelligent, experienced and often performing at a high level. But internally, they may be worried that they are not good enough, that everyone else is more competent, or that they are about to be “found out”.

That is the strange paradox of imposter syndrome: it often affects people who are performing well and can get worse as they become more successful.

One reason is that capable people tend to judge themselves against the highest standard they can see. If they are presenting, they compare themselves with professional speakers. If they have just stepped into a bigger role, they compare themselves with people who have been operating at that level for years.

Ambition is useful. Unrealistic and overly harsh comparison is not.

The other challenge is that capable people keep getting promoted. Just as they become comfortable at one level, they move up and find themselves doing new tasks or having to stretch themselves. That discomfort can feel like evidence they are not ready, when often it is simply the feeling of growth.

So what can you do?

The first step is to right-size your expectations.

When you are being self-critical, ask yourself: what standard am I actually holding myself to? Is it realistic? Is it appropriate for my level of experience? Would I expect the same from someone else in my position?

For example, if you are giving a presentation, your current standard may be that you want to deliver it perfectly, without missing a word, looking nervous or using a filler sound. But a more realistic standard might be: did I communicate my three key points clearly? Did the audience understand what I meant? Did I contribute something useful?

That is not lowering the bar. It is making the bar fair and recognising your successes.

The second step is to deliberately review what went well.

High performers are often very good at self-critiquing. They can list every hesitation, every mistake and every area for improvement. But they rarely give equal attention to the evidence that they are doing well.

At the end of the day, write down what you did effectively. It might be a conversation you handled well, a useful decision you made, a clear explanation you gave, a risk you spotted, or a moment where you kept going even though you felt uncertain.

This is not about false positivity. It is about accuracy. If your internal narrative only records what went wrong, your confidence will not be based on the full evidence.

The third step is to turn anxiety into action.

Sometimes imposter syndrome is not purely irrational. Sometimes there is a genuine skill you need to strengthen. That is not a disaster. It is useful information.

If you have stepped into a leadership role and feel nervous about presenting to larger groups, get support with presenting. If you have moved into a more technical area and feel exposed, set aside time to learn. Read, practise, ask questions, find a course, engage a coach who can help you to improve your leadership and communication skills.

Capability builds confidence. Confidence grows when you prove to yourself that you can take action.

The goal is not to remove every doubt. Doubt is part of stretching yourself. The goal is to stop treating doubt as proof that you aren’t good enough.   Instead see it as evidence that you care, that you are growing, and that you are holding yourself to a standard that may need to be made more realistic.

You can be capable and still be learning.

You can be senior and still need support.

You can be good at your job and still have days where you feel uncertain.

So the next time that voice appears, ask a better question.

Not: “What if they find me out?”

But: “What evidence do I have that I am capable, what expectation do I need to right-size, and what skill could I build next?”

That is how to build true confidence.

Written by Emilie West