Why Is Imposter Syndrome So Common + What Should We Do About It?

Neil Gaiman was standing at the back of a hall full of artists, scientists, writers, and discoverers of things. He felt like at any moment, they would realize he didn't qualify to be there among people who had really done things.

Then he started talking to a polite elderly gentleman. The man pointed to the crowd and said words to the effect of: "I just look at all these people and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They've made all these amazing things. I just went where I was sent."

Gaiman said, "Yes. But you were the first man on the moon. I think that counts for something."

If Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, maybe everyone did.

The Invisible Barrier

George has stood on stages at major conferences, microphone in hand, heart racing. The exterior shell looks excited. Inside, a different story plays out.

"Am I truly good enough? What if the audience realizes I'm not the expert they expect? What if there's somebody smarter than me in the room?"

He gets up there anyway. Shares his knowledge. Connects with the audience. The response is incredible. People tell him it was amazing. And honestly, he blacked out for probably 90% of it.

"I have to tell myself, George, you got this. I've physically talked to myself. You got this, bro. Neil Armstrong, you have been sent here. God wants you to be on this stage right here, right now to do this thing to help these people. His words, not yours. Go. Just knock it off."

These internal conversations happen every time. Nobody ever hears them.

The Definition That Matters

Clinical psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes first identified this phenomenon back in 1978.

Imposter syndrome is the condition of feeling anxious and not experiencing success internally despite being high performing in external objective ways. It results in people feeling like a fraud, a phony, or doubting their abilities.

George put it more directly: "It's like this invisible barrier keeping you from pursuing your potential."

Why This Matters for Anyone on a Growth Journey

If you're focused on a growth mindset, if you're pushing yourself to become someone you weren't the day before, imposter syndrome is going to strike. Not if. When.

"As a listener of this podcast, you're on the brink of stepping into a new adventure or opportunity with every single episode. You're just that much closer to doing something that you once believed you couldn't do. But something holds you back. That little voice in your head whispers, are you sure you can do this? What if you're not good enough?"

George frames imposter syndrome as a sign of progress, not a problem to eliminate.

"Realizing or remembering that imposter syndrome is just a sign that I am doing this thing that I have chose to do, that imposter syndrome is a thing that shows up when growth is happening."

The Aggravating Factors

Think of these as amplifiers. They don't create the music in your head, but they make it louder.

High-pressure work environments. When the stakes always seem sky high and the competition is fierce, it's like you're constantly on stage feeling the pressure to give an encore-worthy performance every single time. This intensity can make anyone question if they're truly part of the band or just pretending to play along.

Social comparison. The world of social media is like a fun house mirror where everything is distorted. You're looking at everyone else's glossy movie poster while you feel like you're in the blooper reel of life. This contrast between how we see others and how we view ourselves turns up the volume on those feelings of not measuring up.

Perfectionism. Setting the bar so high that not even the best Olympic pole vaulter could clear it. When you're caught in this trap, every minor mistake feels like a major flop, reinforcing the idea that maybe you don't really belong in the winner's circle.

The Root Causes

Family expectations and upbringing. The way our family set expectations and the atmosphere we grew up in can shape our self perception. Whether it's the high standards we felt we had to meet or the feedback we got from our folks, these elements can sow the seeds of feeling like an imposter later in life.

Liz was direct about her own experience: "I lived in a not necessarily hypercompetitive environment. I'm an only child. But there were a lot of expectations placed on me that, quite frankly, I never lived up to. I always feel that my spot is unearned, and it's crippling sometimes."

Academic and professional environments. Schools and workplaces can feel like pressure cookers. When there's a big emphasis on competition and being the best, it's easy to start feeling like you're not quite measuring up.

Personality traits. Perfectionism can feed directly into imposter syndrome. When you're always aiming for 110 percent, it's tough to shake off the feeling that you're not doing enough even when you're doing amazingly well.

George called this his arch enemy: "There are so many people who say, we love being your client. We love being your friend. And I am in the background going, I just don't do enough. I just could do more."

Cultural factors. Broader society plays a big role, especially for folks in minority groups or anyone who feels like they constantly have to prove themselves. The weight of these expectations can amplify those feelings of being an imposter.

Success itself. Here's the irony. Sometimes the more successful you become, the more you might feel like an imposter. When you're recognized and given more responsibilities, it can stir up fears that maybe you're not cut out for this. Even though deep down you totally are, but you just don't feel like it.

The Complicated Truth About Imposter Syndrome

Liz brought nuance to the conversation that matters.

"In some cases, yes, there is the genuine experience of having imposter syndrome. But in other cases, it can accidentally divert attention away from what the real problem is. For example, workplaces that are not supportive of female or diverse voices from people of color. You don't have imposter syndrome. You are working within a system that is not supporting you and is creating the conditions for you to experience these feelings."

The answer isn't always to work on your confidence or your feelings. Sometimes the answer is to look at the systems in place and fix them.

She was equally direct about another pattern she's observed: "Just sometimes struggling with confidence is a normal thing. Sometimes that's just gonna happen. Sometimes it's not that you're an imposter. It's you're brand new at something, and you're gonna have to do a little motion before emotion."

What Has Actually Helped

George shared what works for him.

Realize you're exactly where you need to be. Exactly who you're meant to be. That perfection is not reality. These three reminders are an attempt at self compassion, treating yourself with the same kindness you'd offer a friend.

Focus on a growth mindset. See challenges as opportunities to learn and grow rather than threats to your intelligence or competence. Those moments are not threats. They're just moments.

Realize you're not on an island. You're not a castaway, and your best friend is not Wilson. Steve Jobs felt like an imposter. Bill Gates probably feels like an imposter. All the people we set on pedestals feel like imposters at some point.

Understand your worth is not based on achievements. Your value as a person is not solely determined by your professional success or job performance. Recognize and appreciate the diverse qualities and contributions you bring to those around you every single day.

George reframed the whole equation: "There is something quite dramatic that I started to do in my later years, and that was to quit focusing on being successful and focus on being significant. Because there's a different measuring stick."

Liz's Additions

Normalize nerves. The moment we experience a negative emotion, we try to kill it with fire. We look at it as a warning sign that something is wrong. Instead, learn to sit with uncomfortable emotions. It's okay to be nervous. Your feelings don't have to dictate your actions.

Take success out of the equation entirely. Stop over-inflating the importance of the tasks in front of you. A project is not a test to see whether you belong at the table. It's just a thing that needs to be done. Just do it.

"Nobody's looking at me or thinking about me nearly as much as I think they are. These things that I'm working on, these are not life or death things. Just calm down a little bit."

Remember The Godfather. Liz offered an unexpected reminder: Francis Ford Coppola didn't want to make that movie. He thought the book was trash. He was the 12th director they hired. Nobody wanted Al Pacino or Marlon Brando. There was a Greek chorus of doom around the whole production.

Then it was released and became one of the greatest films ever made.

"One of the most fundamental flaws in our ways of thinking as humans is that we believe when greatness shows up, it is immediately recognized. History has shown us it's quite the opposite."

The Nightly Challenge

George left listeners with a practice to try.

Every night, spend a little time on a positive reflections exercise.

Spot your strength. Think about a moment when you used one of your strengths. Maybe you kept your cool in a hectic moment, came up with a clever fix for a tricky issue, or showed someone a little kindness. Give yourself a pat on the back for how that strength made your day better.

Celebrate a win. It doesn't need to be a big deal. Maybe you finally tackled that thing you've been putting off, cooked something healthy, or had a great input in a meeting. Notice these wins. They help you see how capable and effective you are.

Be nice to yourself. What's one nice thing you did just for you today? Maybe you took a breather, enjoyed a hobby, or did something that felt good. Writing this down is a reminder that taking care of yourself is important.

Quotable Moments

"I just went where I was sent." And felt like an imposter. Exactly.

"Imposter syndrome is just a sign that I am doing this thing that I have chose to do, that imposter syndrome is a thing that shows up when growth is happening."

"Your value as a person is not solely determined by your professional success or job performance. Recognize and appreciate the diverse qualities and contributions you bring to those around you every single day."

"Quit focusing on being successful and focus on being significant. Because there's a different measuring stick."

"Nobody's looking at me or thinking about me nearly as much as I think they are. These things I'm working on, these are not life or death things. Just calm down a little bit."

"When chaos becomes comfortable, comfort becomes chaotic." (From the follow-up conversation)

Questions to Sit With

1. What internal conversations are you having that nobody ever hears? What would change if you talked to yourself the way you'd talk to a close friend?
2. Is what you're experiencing actually imposter syndrome, or is it a system that needs to be fixed? Are you pathologizing a confidence issue that comes from being new at something?
3. If you shifted your focus from being successful to being significant, what would change about how you measure your worth?

Press play above to hear the full conversation. George and Liz go deep into their personal struggles with imposter syndrome, the systemic factors that can masquerade as internal doubt, and the practical exercises that help when those moments of self-doubt hit hardest.