Imposter Syndrome: How to Beat It and Reaffirm Your True Success
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Imposter Syndrome.
How does that term land on your consciousness?
Depending on if you’re a business owner or a professional, a man or a woman, leading a team or self-employed or if you even know what the term means, it lands differently.
Before I was familiar with the term, I had long experience its effect.
Every time my presentations skills were describe as “unique” or “world class” or my repeat stats reach nearly 100%, my private thoughts were: “yeah right!”
What was so sad and ridiculous about that, was that I had deliberately researched, observed and planned for the very thing I rejected when the lights went out.
What concerns me most is that it’s incredibly common among entrepreneurs and small business owners.
And it doesn’t mean you’re at all bad at what you do. But it does mean your inner voice is out of sync with reality.
So in this post, I want to look at imposter syndrome or phenomenon from the perspective of the small business owner/entrepreneur and offer some tips on how you can beat it and stop undermining your hard-won success.
In particular you will get:
Key takeaways on imposter syndrome:
- A simple definition of imposter syndrome
- Some key facts about imposter syndrome
- Examples of how imposter syndrome impacts businesswomen
- Strategies to beat it and succeed
Simple definition of imposter syndrome
So…What really is imposter syndrome?
If you google it, I sure you’ll find enough highfalutin definitions to send you straight to your psychiatrist for help.
But for me it’s that persistent feeling that you’re not as competent or “hot” at your job or in your area of expertise as others perceive you to be. Consequently, this feeling of self-doubt leads you to expect to be eventually “shown up” as a fraud.
What strikes me most about it is the genuine disconnect between external evidence and the internal feelings of the sufferers.
Here’s what it looks like: Someone has an impressive track record—degrees, promotions, great reviews, obvious success. Yet they dismiss these as luck, connections, chance – anything but their own abilities.
Some key facts about imposter syndrome
Here are a few key facts about imposter syndrome:
1. It’s not actually a “syndrome” in the clinical sense
The term was coined by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978, but it was never intended as a formal diagnosis. In reality, it’s more of a phenomenon or pattern of experience — which is somewhat ironic given how seriously and widely it’s discussed in psychology and self-help spaces.
2. It’s incredibly common among business people
For example, Entrepreneurs Organisation estimates that it is as high as 84%. High achievers and people in competitive fields seem especially prone to it, perhaps because they’re constantly surrounded by other talented people. It’s almost like success feeds the feeling rather than resolving it.
3. It’s deeply tied to perfectionism
People who experience it often set impossibly high internal standards, and then when they meet those standards, they attribute it to luck or timing rather than ability. The goalposts keep moving, so there’s no achievement that ever feels “enough.” (Oh! I’ve been there!)
4. Imposter syndrome overlaps with identity
People from underrepresented groups in their fields, e.g women of colour, often experience a version of imposter syndrome that is driven by more than their feelings of inadequacy.
It works something like this: When you’re operating in a space where you’re a minority, your mistakes are noticed and remembered more, while your successes are more likely to be attributed to diversity initiatives, luck, or lowered standards.
This creates a situation in which you’re actually scrutinize differently by the environment, but you internalize this as “I must not be good enough” rather than “this system is biased.” The results: You end up having an apparently reasonable response to an unreasonable situation.
5. It can blur the lines between genuine competence and genuine gaps
This is what makes the imposter phenomenon difficult to identify and address.
Sometimes a very competent person feels that they are “not good enough” and that feeling is entirely unfounded. But at the same time there are genuine gaps in their development or knowledge which they can improve.
The experience itself doesn’t reliably tell them which situation they’re in, which is part of what validates it.
6. It’s surprisingly resistant to external validation
Praise, awards, promotions — none of these reliably dislodge it. The person experiencing it often reinterprets the validation itself (“they just don’t know the real me yet”), which makes it feel almost self-sealing.
This last point is the one I find most fascinating — it sets up imposter syndrome as a belief system that essentially immunizes itself against the evidence that would disprove it.
Impact of imposter syndrome on businesswomen
While both men and women in business experience imposter syndrome, research shows it tends to affect women more often and more intensely than men.
The reality isn’t that men don’t struggle — they do. But the specific ways imposter syndrome shows up for women are shaped by real, external factors, not just internal doubt.
Let’s take a look at some of these ways…
The visibility factor
This is important.
Women in business, especially in certain industries and at higher revenue levels, are still significantly outnumbered.
When you’re one of the few women in the room—whether that’s a pitch meeting, an industry conference, or a business networking event—it’s easy to feel like you don’t quite belong, even when you’ve earned your right to be there.
This pressure intensifies the fear of being “found out as a fraud.”
The role of socialization
Many women are raised to be modest, to not “brag,” and to prioritize collaboration over self-promotion. And depending on your age, you were probably also raised to defer to men.
But entrepreneurship often requires the opposite—you need to sell yourself, your vision, your capabilities.
This can create an internal conflict where the very behaviors needed for business success feel uncomfortable or inauthentic.
The credibility gap
Studies show that women entrepreneurs face more skepticism from investors.
First, they are asked different types of qualifying questions – more about possible risks versus achieving profits. Then they are still likely to receive less funding even when their businesses perform as well or better than those of men.
So even after succeeding, many women feel like they have to keep proving themselves over and over.
Think about it, when you’re constantly having to prove yourself more than your male counterparts, it must reinforces that nagging voice that’s already saying “maybe I’m not good enough.”
The expertise paradox
Women often feel they need to be over-prepared and have every answer before stepping forward. Men are more likely to “fake it till they make it.”
Research shows a woman might hesitate to pursue an opportunity because she meets 8 out of 10 qualifications, while a man will pursue it while meeting just 6.
This is really widespread and shows up in many forms.
When I worked in the non-profit sector, I could never get over the ease with which a man would stand up in a conference, put his hands in his pockets and deliver a load of bovine feces. Many times it left us women wondering if we really new what we knew.
The strong social and cultural dimension
It’s not purely an individual psychology issue — it tends to be amplified in environments where someone feels like a visible minority (whether by gender, background, age, or anything else).
The feeling is often shaped by genuinely not seeing people who look or think like you in a given space, which makes it less about irrational thinking and more about a rational response to real social cues.
The Likability vs. Competence Trap
When women are assertive or confident, they sometimes get labelled as “aggressive” or “difficult” — labels men seldom face for the same behavior.
So women can feel caught: act confident and risk being disliked, or downplay achievements and fuel imposter syndrome. It’s exhausting.
The limited access to Informal Mentorship
A lot of business learning happens informally — golf games, after-work drinks, casual conversations.
Women historically have had less access to these spaces, which means less informal support or mentorship, fewer behind-the-scenes tips, and more feeling like they’re figuring it out alone.
Women blame themselves, men blame circumstances
The reality of this always bring a derisive smile to my lips. When something goes wrong, women tend to think “I wasn’t good enough.” Men are more likely to think “The timing was off” or “We didn’t have the right resources.” This means women internalize failure more personally, which feeds that imposter feeling.
Strategies to beat imposter syndrome and succeed
We are in no doubt that imposter syndrome is when you succeed at something but still feel like you don’t deserve it — like you’re fooling everyone and someone will eventually “find you out.”
The inherent nature of entrepreneurship make it profoundly common among entrepreneurs. But it doesn’t mean you’re actually bad at what you do. It does means your inner voice is out of sync with reality.
So here are some practical things you can do to help you navigate this complex circumstance and still succeed:
1. Keep a “Wins” or Successes” File
Every time something goes well — a happy customer, a problem you solved, a goal you hit — write it down and save it. When the doubt creeps in, just review that file. It’s hard to argue with evidence. This turns a habit of focusing on what you got wrong into a habit of seeing what you got right.
2. Talk to Yourself the Way You’d Talk to a Friend
When a friend tells you they messed up, you don’t usually say, “You’re a fraud.” You say, “It’s okay, everyone makes mistakes.” Start doing that for yourself. This isn’t about being fake or overly positive — it’s about being fair to yourself.
3. Separate Facts From Feelings
When the doubt hits, ask yourself: “Is this a fact or a feeling?” For example, “I lost one client” is a fact. “I’m terrible at business and everyone knows it” is a feeling. Once you can tell them apart, the feelings lose a lot of their power.
4. Accept you don’t know all the answers
Nobody knows everything. Not even the most successful business people. Feeling like you don’t have all the answers doesn’t make you a fraud — it makes you human. Give yourself permission to be continuously learning.
5. Surround yourself with similar “sufferers”
Talk to other business owners about how you’re feeling. You’ll quickly find out you’re not the only one. When you hear other people say “I feel that way too,” it takes away a lot of the shame and isolation that feeds imposter syndrome.
6. Create your own “Circle of Experience”
Supporting #5 above, create your own “Circle of Experience”. That’s a group of “mentors” from across all areas of your life that you can constantly tap into for your personal and professional growth. Be sure to include business people who are further along the path than you are and no-nonsense people who will be honest with you.
7. Set Small Goals You Can Actually Hit
One reason people feel inadequate is they only measure themselves against huge, far-off goals. Break things into smaller baby steps. Every small win builds real confidence over time — not just a feeling, but proof that you can do things.
8. Stop Comparing Yourself to social media highlights reels
You see other business owners on social media looking all polished successful. You don’t see their struggles, doubts, or mistakes. Their imposter syndrome. Your comparison is unfair to you. Here’s what you’re really doing to yourself: you’re comparing your full story to someone else’s edited version. JUST STOP!!
9. Accept Praise Without Deflecting
When someone says “Great job,” don’t immediately say “Oh, it was nothing” or “I just got lucky.” Practice saying “Thank you.” Accepting credit where it’s due is a skill, and it rewires how you see yourself over time.
10. Remind Yourself Why You Started
When the doubt is loud, go back to the beginning. Why did you start this business? What problem are you solving? Reconnecting with your purpose can quiet the noise and remind you that your work matters.
11. Consider hiring a business coach
As you concentrate on building your business and operating in your space, you develop blind spots. These are patterns you can’t see, assumptions you don’t question, and of course, imposter syndrome. A good coach can spot these and help you to address them.
12. Especially for women…
Understanding these patterns makes them easier to challenge. Women can:
- Actively practice owning their wins out loud
- Seek out other women in business for honest conversations
- Call out the double standards when they see them
- Give themselves permission to be “good enough” instead of perfect
- Mentor other women to break the cyclesucce
Your next “Imposter Syndrome” step
So there you have it…
You now know that you are not the only “imposter.”
It is important to recognize that imposter syndrome is not a mental illness that you can diagnose, but rather a common pattern of self-belief that can be managed over time.
You also know that it impacts entrepreneurs and business owners significantly and the whole purpose of this post is to help you to beat it and still succeed.
Now it’s over to you…
Once you’ve study the post, your next step is to focus on the several ways you can address it and select one as your first “baby step” and begin working on it.
Then follow this with another one and another one until you’re happy with how you have addressed your version of the problem.
If for some reason, you feel you can’t work on this by yourself do consider hiring a coach to get you to where you want to reach so much faster.
Wouldn’t you just love to move from imposter to a free and happy business person just crushing it in your space?
About The Author
Lorna Barrow
Lorna Barrow excels at leading small business owners to get the breakthrough they are looking for in their businesses! She unleashes her 25+ years of small business experience and knowledge on your business, which was developed from working with small business across the Caribbean and beyond. This ensures you get the solutions that are right for you and your business...
