Are you objectively successful but feel like a fraud? Do you worry that it’s just a matter of time before someone figures out you’re not really that smart, skilled, or knowledgeable? If so, you may be suffering from imposter syndrome.

SO what causes imposter syndrome?

Negative beliefs about the self, e.g. “I’m a failure,” “I’m incompetent.” These beliefs are developed and maintained through biased information processing or thinking errors. A common bias in imposter syndrome is black and white thinking. This causes people to view their performance as either a success or failure, rather than falling along a continuum of excellence. As a result, the individual’s threshold for failure is lowered and they experience failure more frequently.

Another important thinking error is confirmation bias—the tendency to focus on evidence that supports your beliefs and overlook evidence that contradicts them. This explains how someone can believe they are a failure despite considerable evidence to the contrary. They may attribute their successes to luck or minimize the significance of their accomplishments, e.g., the test was easy. As a result of biased information processing, they cannot internalize their successes. This inability undercuts self-confidence and belief in the ability to perform.

So what’s the key to overcoming imposter syndrome? Savor your successes. To offset for the tendency to minimize or overlook accomplishments, keep an accomplishment log organized by year. Record your personal and professional accomplishments for each year, starting with this year and working backwards.

Take note of the important things you forget to include—that’s powerful evidence of your information processing biases! Once your log is up and running, be sure to periodically update it. And the next time you find yourself thinking you’re an imposter, take out your log and remind yourself of who you are! You just may find you feel a little more confident and a little less stressed.

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