By Lindsey Godwin, Ph.D., from Psychology Today

Overcome impostor feelings and embrace growth with these actionable strategies.

A highly accomplished colleague recently texted me in a panic. She was about to launch a major initiative to kick off the year, complete with an announcement and event. But just before hitting "send," she froze. “I’m having a momentary freakout,” she wrote. “I need someone to talk me off the ledge.”

I smiled—not at her panic, but at how much I could relate. After all, the start of a new year often inspires bold resolutions and fresh starts, but it also tends to invite an unwelcome guest: impostor feelings.

Just a few weeks ago, I faced my own moment of doubt. My new book, Ditch the Ditty: Doing What Matters Instead of Doing It All—a labor of love coauthored with two incredible colleagues and shaped by countless late nights of writing and editing—was finally published. For a glorious five minutes, it even hit #1 as a new release in Women’s Studies on Amazon—a dream come true for any author.

And yet, I couldn’t shake the thoughts: What if people hate it? What if they think we have no idea what we're talking about?

This was the very book we wrote to help women interrupt self-doubt and impostor feelings. And here I was, embodying every word of it.

As it turns out, I’m in good company. Even Maya Angelou, an icon of talent and achievement, admitted to feeling like a fraud: “I have written 11 books,” she once said, “but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’”

Research confirms that impostor feelings are nearly universal, with 70 percent of people experiencing them at some point. So this New Year, let’s skip the pressure to eliminate self-doubt altogether. Instead, let’s focus on how to embrace it—and move forward anyway.

It’s Not a Syndrome; It’s Being Human

The term “impostor syndrome” makes it sound like a diagnosable medical condition. It’s not. Feeling like an imposter is simply a natural reaction to stepping into something new, stretching yourself, or facing the possibility of failure.

Studies show that doubt is incredibly common, even among high achievers. And honestly? If you never feel a flicker of self-doubt, that might be the real problem. As writer L.V. Anderson (2016) humorously put it, “Maybe we should stop calling people who experience impostor syndrome ‘people who experience impostor syndrome’ and start calling people who don’t experience impostor syndrome ‘overconfident weirdos.’”



In moderation, doubt signals that you care deeply about your work. The challenge is making sure it doesn’t paralyze you.

Why We Feel Like Imposters

Impostor feelings often show up when we leave our comfort zones. It’s your brain’s way of asking, Are you sure you can handle this?—a question rooted in fear of failure, judgment, or rejection.

For women, these feelings can be amplified by societal messages that underestimate our competence, question our value, and demand perfection. Add in a culture that celebrates confidence over humility, and it’s no wonder so many of us feel like frauds.

But here’s the truth: Doubt isn’t a sign that you don’t belong. It’s a sign that you’re growing.

How to Interrupt Impostor Feelings and Step Into Your Voice

If doubt is inevitable, the goal isn’t to eliminate it. The goal is to interrupt it before it holds you back. As you tackle your New Year’s goals, try these strategies to reframe impostor feelings and move forward with confidence.

1. Name It (and Normalize It)

When impostor feelings arise, the first step is to label them. Calling them out—“This is impostor doubt”—creates distance, making them easier to manage.

Next, remind yourself that these feelings are incredibly common. Even the most accomplished people feel like frauds sometimes. Doubt isn’t proof that you’re unqualified; it’s evidence that you’re stepping into something meaningful.

Try this: When doubt creeps in, take a deep breath and say, “This is just impostor doubt. It’s normal, and it doesn’t define me.”

2. Shift Your Focus to the Work

Impostor feelings often center on how you’ll be perceived—Will people like me? Will they judge me?—rather than on the value of the work itself. Redirecting your focus to the impact you’re making can quiet self-doubt.

Ask yourself: Who will benefit from this? What problem am I solving? How can I serve others? These questions remind you that your voice matters, not because it’s perfect, but because it’s needed.

Try this: Before starting a project, write down three ways your work could positively impact others. Keep this list handy for moments when doubt resurfaces.

3. Act Anyway

One of the best ways to combat impostor feelings is to take action. Each small step builds evidence that you’re capable. Over time, this creates confidence and proves that doubt doesn’t have to control you.

Remember, confidence isn’t the absence of doubt. It’s the willingness to act despite it.

Try this: The next time doubt whispers, Stop, take one small action anyway. Press “send,” share your idea, or take the first step. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.



The Gift of Moving Forward

The New Year invites us to grow, dream, and stretch ourselves. But those ambitions often bring a sidekick: doubt. Rather than seeing it as a roadblock, what if we reframed it as a sign of progress? When we embrace our doubts, we free ourselves to step forward, imperfectly but authentically.

So, this year, when impostor feelings creep in, remember: They’re not a sign you’re failing. They’re a sign you’re trying something new, something important.

As for my colleague? She sent her big initiative email, doubts and all, reminding herself that her work—and putting herself out there—mattered.

Here’s to a New Year filled with growth, courage, and the messy, beautiful process of showing up anyway. Because the world doesn’t need perfection—it needs you.

References

Brown, B. (2021). Atlas of the heart: mapping meaningful connection and the language of human experience. First edition. New York, Random House.

Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247.

L. V. Anderson, Feeling like an Impostor Is Not a Syndrome, Slate (Apr. 12, 2016), https://slate.com/business/2016/04/is-impostor-syndrome-real-and-does-i…

Godwin, L., McGuigan, M., & Novotny, M. (2024). Ditch the Ditty: Doing what matters instead of doing it all. Onion River Press. https://www.ditchtheditty.com/book