Last Imposter Project

There are 5 types of Imposter Syndrome:

1. THE PERFECTIONIST - perfectionists typically set very high expectations for themselves and that even if they meet 99% of those goals, a small loss will feel like a large failure.

2. THE NATURAL GENIUS - success came relatively easily during school. As they grow and mature, however, they are bound to encounter scenarios where achievement doesn’t present itself as second nature, and hard work or struggle is required for their desired results.

3. THE RUGGED INDIVIDUALIST - they struggle to reach out when they need assistance, as they feel getting help with a task invalidates their contribution or shows that their own skillset is in some way lacking.

4. THE EXPERT - they like to come into something new from a position of knowledge and expertise, and probably regularly spend time looking for ways to improve their skillset or undergo extra training. However, this drive to become an “expert” can trigger imposter syndrome, holding them back from applying for jobs if you don’t meet all the criteria in the description, or preventing them from speaking up in a seminar because their answer won’t be perfectly informed.

5. THE SUPERHERO - they push themselves to work harder than everyone around them to prove that they’re not imposters. Their expectations for themselves are higher than their expectations of others, and they feel a sometimes overwhelming need to succeed in every element of their life – at work and at home.

Studies show women are more likely than men to experience Imposter Syndrome. In fact, it was originally thought that the syndrome only affects women.

Why? There is plenty of academic evidence to suggest that women are less confident in the workplace – particularly in male-dominated industries – while earning less than their male counterparts, both leading causes for a greater feeling of Imposter Syndrome.

Feelings that point to Imposter Syndrome include:
(1) I don't belong here or I don't fit in;
(2) I am not like everyone else here;
(3) I am not like other women;
(4) Maybe I am just here because they wanted a woman to 'be inclusive';
(5) I don't know what I am doing here; and (and I hope to God no one finds out)

How to fix it? The first step is to be honest about it and be comfortable explaining your situation to others.

Follow us for more tips on how to learn, grow and conquer Imposter Syndrome!

Is Imposter Syndrome only for academics and professionals? NOPE.

It affects 70% of people. Just check the story of Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra.

Spoelstra suffered from impostor syndrome when he took over a team with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh at 40 years old as a non-NBA playing coach.

Even after two championships, it took him until the summer of 2014 — when James was no longer on the roster — to get over it.

"I had a big, six-week reflection on my purpose in this profession," Spoelstra told ESPN. "And I really connected with this idea that my purpose was just to serve and help guys like [Duncan] Robinson achieve their dreams and to be able to help our organization develop teams and a culture that we believe in.”

"That was the biggest transformation for me. It's a compass. And after that, I didn't give it a thought about the impostor syndrome."

Rejection limits the potential of our lives. It stops us from conquering our dreams, and instead forces us to live mediocre lives. But every successful business person would say that rejection and failure are part of the path to success.

What if we could eliminate the fear of rejection through what is known as "rejection therapy"?

Watch this TEDx talk about how one person took the art of rejection and transformed their life!

What I learned from 100 days of rejection | Jia Jiang Jia Jiang adventures boldly into a territory so many of us fear: rejection. By seeking out rejection for 100 days -- from asking a stranger to borrow $100 to...

Have you ever been given an important assignment at work, a major promotion managing a number of people, and just thought, "what gives me the right to be here?"

In those moments, it feels like you just feel like you're lacking certain skills. You wonder whether you belong there at all. There's a sense of being thrown into the deep end of the pool and needing to learn to swim. But it's not just questioning whether you can survive. In a fundamental way, you're wondering if you can swim at all.

If you're feeling out of place as you move up the corporate ladder quickly, you're not alone. This feeling plagues 7 out of 10 professionals today, and that number is only growing -- it's called Imposter Syndrome.

This page has been built to provide the tools, resources and solutions to help alleviate the feeling of Imposter Syndrome.