5 Types of Impostor Syndrome and How to Tame Them

I have written 11 books 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.’ — Maya Angelou

Imma Baradyana
9 min readOct 31, 2022

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Source: diversityincbestpractices.com

If you’ve been reading my articles for a while, then you probably know that I am not one to shy away from difficult topics. From loss, to growth, to mental health, sharing my experiences authentically is at the core of why I began writing in the first place. That’s why I want to start this post by admitting that this article was a bit difficult for me to write. Why? Well, because I haven’t fully figured out how to combat and manage impostor syndrome myself. It still creeps up on me from time to time and ironically, as I write this, I’m thinking, “I’m fooling everyone.”

Some of you are probably wondering what impostor syndrome, less commonly known as perceived fraudulence, is. Psychologists define impostor syndrome as the internal experience of self-doubt that lets you believe you are not as competent as others perceive you to be.

Who exactly does it affect? Well, a whole lot of people. Turns out, 70% of the population feel like a fraud at least once in their lifetime regardless of race, sex, age, job, or social status. This psychological…

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Imma Baradyana

International tech professional. Writes about personal, professional, and academic experiences. Learn more at immabaradyana.com