Why I’m Done with the Term “Imposter Syndrome”
I’ll be honest: before I started my business, I had never even heard the term “imposter syndrome.” The first time it truly landed on my radar was at a VA conference back in 2017. I remember the speaker, Rikke Hansen, saying, “Imposter syndrome is a sign of intelligence.”
It was an interesting take that you can actually watch her talk about it here. I can’t say I agreed with her at that time and I’m not sure if I do now but one thing I do know is that I’ve actually come to hate the term as it feels so negative. It conjures up feelings of being a fraud, a criminal, someone that is going to be found out and for what? Having doubts about our abilities and achievements?
Where did “Imposter Syndrome” come from, anyway?
The term wasn’t always a buzzword on Instagram. It was first coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. Originally, they called it “imposter phenomenon.” They were studying high-achieving women who, despite their clear success and objective evidence of their talents, remained convinced that they were “frauds” and didn’t deserve their achievements.
Fast forward to 2026, and the “phenomenon” has become a “syndrome.” And while the original research focused on women, it’s still predominantly women (or those who identify as women) who feel the brunt of it. We are the ones told we need to “fix” our mindset, while the systems around us often fuel the very doubt we’re trying to cure.
The Comparison Trap
We live in a world that is practically designed to make us feel like “less than.” Social media algorithms are built to keep us scrolling, which inevitably leads us to compare our “behind-the-scenes” with everyone else’s highlight reel.
As Psychology Today points out, social media acts as a catalyst for these feelings, creating a digital environment where we feel we must constantly perform and perfect.
I personally believe that if we stop comparing ourselves to others, go inward and really look at who we are, we will grow in confidence and imposter syndrome won’t be able to exist – in fact it is just a lack of confidence that often leads to this.
When we stop looking outward at what “Expert Sarah” is doing or how “Six-Figure Sophie” is launching, and we start looking inward, the “syndrome” begins to evaporate. If you stop the comparison, you stop the feed that the imposter lives on.
They Want YOU, not a Carbon Copy
There might be 100 other people running a business similar to yours. There might be thousands. But here is the one thing they don’t have: they aren’t you.
Your clients don’t just come to you for the service you provide; they come to you for your perspective, your lived experience, and your unique way of doing things. Even if you feel like a “fraud” while you’re doing it, the results you deliver for your clients are real. You can’t fake a job well done.
If you’re struggling with that nagging feeling of being found out, the answer isn’t just another business course or a new certification. The answer lies in your mindset.
As business owners, we spend so much time on “business development”, learning the latest tech, the latest marketing hack, the latest sales funnel, etc, that we often neglect the person actually running the show. You are your business. Therefore, your personal development journey is just as vital as your professional one.
One way to change your mindset is to start using better language about yourself. Instead of saying “I have imposter syndrome,” let’s try:
“I’m learning something new and it feels a bit stretchy.”
“I’m stepping out of my comfort zone today.”
“I’m building my confidence in this area.”
By changing the language, we move from having a “condition” to having an experience that we’re passing through. One is a weight; the other is a stepping stone.
Let’s stop pathologising our growth and start supporting each other’s reality. We aren’t imposters; we’re just people doing the brave work of building something of our own and it’s time we started celebrating that!