Find Out What's Really Holding Back Your Next Level of Success: Imposter Syndrome!

Written and reviewed by Nicky Anstey, Executive Psychotherapist, Master NLP Coach and Master Hypnotherapist (East Sussex and Godalming, Surrey). Last reviewed 23 July 2026.

Imposter syndrome is far more common among high achievers than most people assume, and it is well documented. An often-quoted estimate suggests around 70% of people experience it at some point (Sakulku & Alexander, 2011), though that figure is best read as an estimate rather than a hard measurement. The most rigorous review to date, a 2020 systematic review in the Journal of General Internal Medicine covering 62 studies and 14,161 people, found prevalence ranging from 9% to 82% depending on how it is measured (Bravata et al., 2020). Among senior leaders the figures run higher: a 2020 KPMG study of 750 executive women found 75% had experienced it in their careers, and 81% put more pressure on themselves not to fail than their male peers (KPMG, 2020).

It matters because it rarely travels alone. As the Journal of General Internal Medicine review concluded:

“Impostor syndrome is often comorbid with depression and anxiety and is associated with impaired job performance, job satisfaction, and burnout among various employee populations including clinicians.”

Bravata et al., Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2020

What are the signs of imposter syndrome in high achievers?

Imposter syndrome is a recognisable pattern rather than a clinical diagnosis. In business owners and executives it often shows up as:

• Persistent self-doubt that success never quite silences, no matter the track record
• Attributing wins to luck, timing or other people rather than your own ability
• A quiet fear of being “found out” or exposed as less capable than you appear
• Over-preparing, over-working and struggling to delegate
• Difficulty accepting praise, and often under-charging or under-selling
• Holding back from opportunities you are more than qualified for

Is imposter syndrome a mental illness or a medical diagnosis?

No. Imposter syndrome is not a recognised clinical or medical diagnosis, and it is not listed as a disorder. It is a well-studied psychological pattern of thinking and self-perception. That distinction matters: it means it is learned, and what is learned can be changed. If you would like the full picture, read what imposter syndrome actually is in our complete guide.

What causes imposter syndrome?

There is no single cause. It is most often linked to early messages about achievement and worth, to high-pressure or high-achieving environments, and to being an outlier in a room. For founders and leaders it is frequently reinforced by isolation at the top and by roles where the stakes and visibility keep rising. In practice it is a wired pattern, built long before your business existed.

Does imposter syndrome go away on its own?

Rarely. Because it is a learned, largely unconscious pattern rather than a passing mood, it tends to persist, and for many leaders it intensifies as responsibility and visibility grow. It does respond well to focused psychological work that resolves the underlying belief rather than managing the symptoms.

The five types of imposter syndrome

Imposter syndrome is not one thing. Building on the original 1978 research by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, Dr Valerie Young identified five “competence types”, each with a different hidden rule for what counts as good enough (Impostor Syndrome Institute):

• The Perfectionist: it has to be flawless, and success never feels earned. (This overlaps closely with perfectionism.)
• The Expert: I should know everything before I act or speak
• The Natural Genius: if it takes real effort, I must be a fraud
• The Soloist: asking for help is proof of inadequacy, so I do it alone
• The Superhuman: I must excel in every role at once

Who this is for, and when therapy is the better route

Imposter syndrome coaching is for capable, high-functioning founders, executives and professionals who are succeeding on the outside but privately battling self-doubt, and who want to resolve it at the root. It is not therapy, and it is not a substitute for medical or mental-health care. If you are dealing with a diagnosed mental-health condition, or with depression, an anxiety disorder or thoughts of self-harm, please speak to your GP or a registered clinician first. This work also sits alongside related patterns Nicky helps with, including people-pleasing and anxiety, pressure and overwhelm.

Sources

• Clance, P. R. & Imes, S. A. (1978). The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247.
• Sakulku, J. & Alexander, J. (2011). The Impostor Phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6(1), 73–92.
• Bravata, D. M., et al. (2020). Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35, 1252–1275.
• KPMG (2020). KPMG Study Finds 75% of Female Executives Have Experienced Imposter Syndrome.