When Impostor Feelings Whisper and Why I’m Learning to Listen Differently

Photograph by Nana Ampomah

When impostor feelings show up quietly

I have been reflecting a lot lately on the quiet ways the impostor phenomenon (often called “impostor syndrome” in everyday language) shapes our inner world. It is not a recognised mental-health diagnosis; it is a name for a pattern of feelings. For some people, impostor feelings become more noticeable during transitions, unfamiliar roles or periods of evaluation. They do not always arrive loudly. Sometimes, they whisper.

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That whisper has felt especially familiar as I begin my PhD journey. Academia is exciting, but it also brings a particular kind of vulnerability. It is a space filled with unfamiliar language, long titles, and brilliant minds. In moments like that, I have caught myself wondering whether I really belong there at all.

I remember sitting in one of my first online seminars. The room was full of professors and doctors. I raised my virtual hand to offer a small reflection, then lowered it again almost immediately. My mind moved faster than I could speak. Your point is not clever enough. You will sound uneducated. Better not risk it.

I recognised that thought as part of what I call my impostor feelings.

Naming the feeling changed something for me

In my first week of the PhD, I walked into my supervisor’s office at a low point. I found myself talking around what I was feeling without fully naming it. My supervisor suggested that what I was describing sounded like impostor feelings.

That moment stayed with me.

He said that, in his experience, these feelings can recur. I understood that as his personal experience, not a prediction that they never change for anyone. Hearing it mattered. Not because it solved anything at once, but because it reminded me that I was not broken, and I was not alone. For me, one useful shift came when someone helped me find language for what I was experiencing.

Why impostor feelings can feel so convincing

What makes these feelings difficult is not only the self-doubt itself. It is how believable they can sound. For me, they appear in places where I care deeply; achievement can then feel less reassuring than I expect.

These thoughts do not usually say, “You are failing.” They say something quieter and more unsettling: “You do not belong here.” It can feel convincing. Sometimes it reflects fear; at other times, uncertainty may point to a genuine learning need, a lack of support or an environment that does not make belonging easy. The task is to examine the evidence rather than assume either conclusion.

What helped me respond differently

Around the same time, I had a meaningful online exchange with a coach whose openness stood out to me. He asked how these feelings showed up for me. That simple question opened one of the most honest and supportive conversations I have had online.

He described noticing the thought when it appears, especially in new roles, and responding along the lines of “Oh, you again.” I found that example useful: it showed one way of acknowledging a thought without automatically obeying it. It is a personal strategy, not a test or a treatment that works for everyone. We grow not only by naming what we feel, but also by choosing how we respond when it appears.

Another moment that grounded me came from someone who knows me well and often brings me back to centre. When I was caught in a spiral of not feeling good enough, he said, dryly but kindly, that a real impostor would probably not be worrying about it this much. That line made me laugh and briefly interrupted the spiral. I heard it as reassurance, not as a test of whether someone is competent.

What the research says about impostor feelings

Researchers usually call this the impostor phenomenon or impostor feelings. It is not a recognised mental-health diagnosis. Clance and Imes first described the phenomenon in 1978 among high-achieving women, but later studies have reported it across genders, ages and occupations. A systematic review of 62 studies found estimates ranging from 9% to 82%, largely because studies used different measures, cut-offs and selected samples; it also found associations with anxiety, depression, burnout and work outcomes. Most of that evidence was observational and does not show that impostor feelings cause those difficulties (Bravata et al., 2020). Later reviews found conceptual inconsistency, no gold-standard assessment tool and some promising approaches, including psychoeducation, group support, coaching and self-compassion- or mindfulness-based work, but intervention evidence remained heterogeneous and often methodologically weak (Gisselbaek et al., 2026; Para et al., 2024).

Not every doubt about belonging is a mistaken belief inside the individual. Exclusion, discrimination, inadequate feedback, unfamiliar expectations or an inequitable environment can make belonging genuinely uncertain. Support should examine both the person’s interpretation and the context, rather than turning a structural problem into an individual defect.

That fits with my own experience. For me, speaking it aloud reduced some of the shame and isolation. It softened when it met understanding rather than shame.

Learning to meet impostor feelings with more compassion

I am still learning how to respond when the feelings show up. I do not always catch them straight away. I do not always feel confident. But I am trying to be kinder to the part of me that feels afraid.

In my experience, meeting self-doubt with compassion has been more useful than adding shame.

I am also learning that I do not need to fight every doubtful thought in order to move forward. Sometimes I only need to notice it, name it, and decide not to hand it the steering wheel. Even if I still feel uncertain, I can keep going.

If impostor feelings whisper to you, too

If you have ever sat in a room and questioned whether you belong there, you are not alone. People of different genders, ages and occupations report impostor feelings. Self-doubt by itself does not prove either competence or incompetence. It can coexist with caring deeply and wanting to do well; it can also point to a need for feedback, learning or support.

I am learning that these feelings do not need to disappear completely before we trust ourselves. Sometimes growth begins when we hear the whisper, recognise it for what it is, and choose not to let it define us.

If self-doubt has been weighing on you, therapy may offer a place to explore self-doubt, its context and any associated anxiety or low mood. No single therapy is established specifically for impostor feelings, so the work should be tailored to the person and any co-occurring difficulties.

References

Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., Nelson, R. S., Cokley, K. O., & Hagg, H. K. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1252-1275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1

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. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006

Gisselbaek, M., Seyour, M., Saxena, S., Berger-Estilita, J., LaDonna, K. A., Elia, N., & Savoldelli, G. L. (2026). Rethinking the impostor phenomenon: An umbrella review of concept, context and interventions. Medical Education, 60(6), 607-624. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.70076

Para, E., Dubreuil, P., Miquelon, P., & Martin-Krumm, C. (2024). Interventions addressing the impostor phenomenon: A scoping review. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1360540. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1360540

American Psychological Association. (2021, June). How to overcome impostor phenomenon. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/06/cover-impostor-phenomenon

Evidence last reviewed 22/08/2026. This article shares personal reflection and general information; it does not provide a diagnosis or replace individual medical or psychological advice. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E; for urgent mental-health help in England, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental-health option; Samaritans are free on 116 123.