The Promotion Didn’t Fix Your Imposter Syndrome

You finally got the promotion. You got the new title, the bigger paycheck, and the recognition you had been working toward. So why do you still feel like someone is going to figure out that you do not actually belong there?

Imposter syndrome, more accurately called the imposter phenomenon, describes the experience of doubting your accomplishments and feeling like you are not as capable as other people believe you are. It can be particularly difficult because external evidence does not always change the internal feeling. You can receive praise, accomplish something objectively difficult, and still wonder whether you just got lucky. Sometimes, the promotion you thought would finally make you feel confident simply gives your imposter syndrome a new room to operate in.

Your Brain Remembers What Went Wrong

Our brains are naturally attentive to potential threats and problems. From an evolutionary perspective, noticing what went wrong and figuring out how to avoid it again was useful. The problem is that this tendency does not necessarily disappear when the threat is gone.

You might receive an incredible performance review and immediately remember the presentation where you stumbled over your words. You might get promoted and think about the one project that did not go perfectly. You might have ten positive interactions with your colleagues and spend the evening replaying the one moment when you felt awkward.

This is where mindfulness can help. Rather than automatically accepting every critical thought as evidence, mindfulness allows you to notice what your mind is doing. One simple practice is to deliberately keep track of your wins. At the end of each week, write down three things you did well, large or small. Maybe you handled a difficult conversation, solved a problem, received positive feedback, or simply showed up when you were exhausted.

You are not trying to convince yourself that everything is perfect. You are making sure your brain has access to the full picture.

There Will Always Be a Bigger Fish

Imposter syndrome often comes with the belief that the next achievement will finally make it go away.

Once I get promoted, I will feel qualified.

Once I make more money, I will feel successful.

Once I am the most experienced person in the room, I will stop comparing myself.

But there is always going to be someone who is more experienced or more skilled at something. There will always be someone with a bigger title, a longer résumé, or a skill you wish you had. If your sense of worth depends on being the most accomplished person in the room, you are setting yourself an impossible task.

Part of working through imposter syndrome is making peace with the fact that you will sometimes be surrounded by people who know more than you. That does not mean you do not belong. You can be excellent at something while someone else is excellent at something different.

Instead of asking, How do I prove that I am as good as everyone else? try asking, What do I bring to this room? Your answer does not have to be better than everyone else’s. It just has to be yours.

Talk to Yourself Like Someone You Believe In

The way we talk to ourselves matters. When a thought becomes repetitive, it can start to feel like a fact simply because it is familiar. Telling yourself, I am not qualified for this over and over can make that belief feel increasingly convincing, even when your actual accomplishments tell a different story.

You do not have to force yourself to believe something wildly positive. Instead, try choosing two kind, believable things to say about yourself when imposter feelings show up.

The goal is not positive thinking for its own sake. It is developing a more balanced internal voice that can acknowledge both your imperfections and your competence.

Building Confidence Beyond the Next Achievement

Your promotion may change your job, but it cannot automatically change the way you see yourself. If you are constantly waiting for the next accomplishment to make you feel worthy, there will always be another accomplishment to chase.

Instead, practice noticing your successes, accepting that other people will sometimes be more accomplished than you, and speaking to yourself with the same generosity you might offer someone you care about.

If imposter feelings are significantly affecting your confidence, relationships, career, or well-being, therapy can give you space to explore where these beliefs come from and develop healthier ways of responding to them.

At Downtown Behavioral Wellness, our therapists work with professionals navigating imposter syndrome, perfectionism, anxiety, and the pressure to constantly achieve.

Ready to feel more confident in what you bring to the table? Contact Downtown Behavioral Wellness today to learn more about our therapy services or schedule an appointment.

Sources

1. American Psychological Association. “How to Overcome Feeling Like an Impostor.” Speaking of Psychology, American Psychological Association.
2. American Psychological Association. “How to Overcome Impostor Phenomenon.” Monitor on Psychology, June 2021.
3. American Psychological Association. “Why You Need More Self-Compassion.” Monitor on Psychology, September 2016.