Seeing Through Imposter Syndrome: Two Lenses, One Truth

Have you ever found yourself thinking, "Any minute now, they’re going to realise I have no idea what I’m doing"?

Welcome to impostor syndrome. That creeping feeling that you don’t belong, haven’t earned your place, or are just one mistake away from being exposed as a fraud. It can be paralysing, especially when you care deeply about your work or the people you serve.

So what do you do when that voice pipes up? Do you try to shut it down? Argue with it? Prove it wrong?

There’s another way.

In this post, I’m going to explore two perspectives that can help:

Though they differ in how they point to freedom, both invite you to stop taking that inner voice so seriously.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome by Exposing the Illusion

Imposter syndrome thrives when we mistake thoughts for facts. The thought “I’m a fraud” can feel urgent, convincing, even overwhelming. But that feeling doesn’t come from your actual ability. It comes from believing a thought your mind is serving up in that moment.

Our minds are designed to scan for danger. They compare us to others, anticipate rejection, and generate doubt—especially when we’re stretching beyond our comfort zones. The issue isn’t that you’re having these thoughts. It’s that you might be mistaking them for the truth.

Stop Fixing – Start Seeing

Many traditional approaches to impostor syndrome focus on changing the thoughts: challenging them, reframing them, or drowning them out with affirmations. But what if the real shift happens when you realise the thoughts were never solid in the first place?

When you begin to understand that thoughts are transient—not verdicts—you naturally loosen your grip on them. You don’t have to believe every thought just because it shows up.

Try this:

“Can you remember a time you felt confident—even just for a moment?”

Most people can. Maybe while helping someone else, doing something familiar, or simply being present.

Now ask:

“What changed? Your job? Your skills? Or just your thinking?”

This can be a turning point. You realise that confidence and self-doubt are both states of mind, not accurate reflections of your capability.

You Are Not the Thought

Your thoughts might swing from “I’m doing great” to “I’m a total fraud” in a single day. When you start noticing the swing, you stop giving either end of it so much weight. What stays steady beneath all of that is you: your values, your intent, your ability to grow.

The Shift That Changes Everything

When you begin to see this for yourself, it’s like wiping the steam from a mirror. You realise the fear wasn’t coming from your job or your performance. It was coming from the meaning you were attaching to fleeting thoughts.

And when that’s seen clearly, there’s nothing to fix. Just a perspective to shift.

Ready to break free from impostor syndrome? If you’d like help seeing beyond the illusion of self-doubt, get in touch.