Imposter Syndrome: When Success Feels Like a Fluke (and How to Overcome It)

You got the role.

You earned the promotion.

People come to you for answers.

So why does it still feel like you’re about to be “found out”?

That quiet (or loud) inner voice telling you that you don’t belong, that your success was luck, timing, or someone else’s mistake has a name: imposter syndrome. And it’s far more common than people admit.

At Nudge, we see it across every career stage: graduates, managers, founders, and executives alike.

What Imposter Syndrome Really Looks Like

Imposter syndrome isn’t a lack of ability. It’s a misinterpretation of competence.

It often shows up as:

• Downplaying achievements (“Anyone could have done this”)

• Over-preparing to avoid being exposed

• Avoiding opportunities you’re qualified for

• Attributing success to luck and failure to personal flaws

• Feeling anxious when praised or promoted

Ironically, it tends to affect high performers the most, people who care deeply about doing well.

Why It’s So Common (Especially in Modern Workplaces)

Imposter syndrome thrives in environments where:

• Comparison is constant (hello LinkedIn)

• Expectations are unclear or constantly shifting

• Feedback is inconsistent or vague

• Perfectionism is rewarded over progress

• People from underrepresented backgrounds feel pressure to “prove” themselves

When performance is measured by visibility instead of impact, self-doubt fills the gaps.

The Cost of Letting It Run the Show

Left unchecked, imposter syndrome doesn’t just affect confidence. It shapes careers.

It can lead to:

• Burnout from chronic overworking

• Saying no to promotions, pay rises, or stretch roles

• Staying silent in meetings

• Self-sabotage during reviews or interviews

• Feeling emotionally exhausted despite being “successful”

Over time, people don’t leave jobs, they leave how work makes them feel.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome (Practically, Not Positively)

This isn’t about “just being more confident.” It’s about changing how you relate to your thoughts and your work.

1. Separate feelings from facts

Feeling like a fraud does not mean you are one. Write down objective evidence of your skills, outcomes, and feedback — not how you felt doing them.

2. Stop moving the goalposts

If the bar for “good enough” keeps shifting after every win, you’ll never feel competent. Decide what success looks like before you start.

3. Reframe expertise

No one knows everything. Competence is knowing how to learn, ask, and adapt — not having all the answers.

4. Normalise discomfort

Growth often feels like incompetence in the early stages. Being stretched is not a sign you’re failing — it’s a sign you’re expanding.

5. Speak it (selectively)

Naming imposter syndrome with trusted peers often breaks its power. You’ll quickly learn you’re not alone and never were.

6. Anchor your identity outside your job

When your self-worth is tied entirely to performance, doubt hits harder. You are more than your output, title, or salary.

Imposter syndrome doesn’t mean you don’t belong.

It usually means you’re in the room you once worked hard to get into.

Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt. It’s continuing despite it.

And sometimes, the most powerful career move isn’t proving yourself…

It’s finally believing the evidence already in front of you.