When Everyone Seems Better Than You: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome

"I was just lucky," "Someday they'll find out I'm incompetent," "Everyone else seems better than me"... If these thoughts circle in your mind, you might be experiencing 'Impostor Syndrome.'

Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where people fail to acknowledge their achievements and feel like they're deceiving others. Surprisingly, it's more commonly experienced by successful people—a paradoxical phenomenon. According to Harvard Business School research, over 70% of senior executives experience impostor syndrome. So if you're feeling this way, it might actually be a sign that you're growing.

The Many Faces of Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome manifests differently in each person. Looking at the five types of impostor syndrome classified by psychologist Pauline Clance:

The Perfectionist They cannot tolerate mistakes and have an obsession with always being perfect. They feel like the entire project failed because of 1% failure despite 99% success. They tend to keep revising projects without completing them or not start at all if it won't be perfect.

The Expert They fear challenging new fields and think they must know everything perfectly. They avoid asking questions in meetings and try to hide when they don't know something. They often say "I'm not ready yet."

The Natural Genius They believe they should achieve without effort. If learning something takes time or presents difficulties, they think they lack talent. They tend to give up if they don't succeed on the first try.

The Soloist They view asking for help as a sign of weakness. They think they must solve everything alone and worry that receiving help from others will make their abilities questioned.

The Superwoman/Superman They think they must be perfect in every role. They believe they must be the best employee at work and the perfect parent or spouse at home. They fear that failing in one role will make everything collapse.

Finding the Roots of Impostor Syndrome

The causes of impostor syndrome are complex. Childhood experiences, social pressure, and personal tendencies all play a role.

Influence of Childhood Experiences Children who grew up receiving excessive praise feel pressure that "I must always be outstanding." Conversely, children who grew up in overly critical environments develop the belief that "I'm not enough." Both cases hinder healthy self-image formation.

Social Pressure and Prejudice Women and people from minority groups experience impostor syndrome more frequently. They easily think they're in their position not because of ability but because of 'diversity.' Social prejudice and stereotypes become internalized, making them doubt their abilities.

Comparison Culture The culture of comparing oneself to others' successes seen on platforms like SNS also worsens impostor syndrome. Comparing others' seemingly perfect appearances with one's own inner anxieties leads to the illusion that "I'm the only one struggling."

Specific Strategies for Overcoming Impostor Syndrome

1. Recognize Your Inner Voice

The first treatment for impostor syndrome is 'awareness.' Practice objectively observing the negative inner voice saying "I'm a fraud." Whenever this voice appears, ask yourself:

• Is this thought true? Is there concrete evidence?
• If a friend said this in the same situation, what would I advise?
• Is this thought helpful or hindering?

2. Keep an Achievement Journal

Develop the habit of recording even small achievements daily. "I suggested a good idea in today's meeting," "A colleague thanked me for my help," "I learned a new skill"—even very small things are fine. Over time, you'll be able to see your abilities and growth objectively.

Also record compliments and positive feedback you receive. People with impostor syndrome tend to quickly forget praise and only remember criticism. Recording can help correct this bias.

3. Actively Accept Feedback

Actively embrace positive feedback from others. Don't think "It's just social talk" or "They're just trying to make me feel good"—acknowledge that their perspectives are equally valid.

Regularly requesting feedback from trusted colleagues or supervisors is also helpful. You can identify your strengths and growth areas through objective perspectives.

4. Redefine Failure

Develop the perspective of viewing failure not as evidence of inadequacy but as an opportunity for growth. Look for lessons to learn from failures and think about how to do better next time.

Looking up failure experiences of successful people is also helpful. Remember that successful people like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates also experienced numerous failures.

5. Find a Mentor

Find a trustworthy mentor to share your concerns with. An experienced mentor will objectively evaluate your abilities and provide advice to help overcome impostor syndrome.

Organizational Solutions

Impostor syndrome is both an individual and organizational culture problem. Ways to create healthy organizational culture:

Culture That Allows Failure Create a culture that doesn't punish failure but views it as a learning opportunity. Have time to share failure cases and lessons learned from them.

Promote Diversity and Inclusion Create an environment where people from diverse backgrounds can have their abilities recognized. Eliminate prejudice and stereotypes, allowing all members to voice their opinions.

Transparent Evaluation System Provide clear and fair evaluation criteria and enable members to objectively assess their performance through regular feedback.

Living with Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome may not completely disappear, but it can be managed and controlled. The important thing is to acknowledge your worth and accept imperfection.

Cultivate Self-Compassion Treat yourself kindly as you would a friend. When you make mistakes, don't blame yourself but comfort yourself saying "It's okay, I'll do better next time."

Develop Growth Mindset Believe that abilities aren't fixed but can be developed through effort. Don't fear challenges and maintain the perspective that you can grow through new experiences.

Build Support Networks Communicate with people having similar experiences and create networks that support each other. Know that you're not alone, and celebrate and encourage each other's achievements.

"You are more capable than you think, and you are more valuable than you feel."

Impostor syndrome might be a sign that you're growing. You might feel anxious because you're taking on new challenges and setting higher goals. Don't try to completely eliminate these feelings—live with them while believing in your abilities and continuing to move forward.

Your success is not accidental. It's the result of your effort and ability. Believe in yourself and acknowledge your journey. Have the courage to take off the mask and show your true self.