Volume 39 Number 4 | August 2025
Summary
Imposter syndrome causes individuals to doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as frauds. It includes overachievers like perfectionists and people-pleasers, who mask insecurity through overwork and constant approval-seeking, and non-starters like those with paralysis or procrastination tendencies, who avoid tasks to prevent failure. Recovery is possible through self-reflection and building confidence.
Ali Murphy, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, caPM, ASCLS Director
Imposter syndrome is a psychological syndrome in which a sufferer feels that they are a phony or a fraud and must hide it from the world. Sufferers lack the confidence to recognize their accomplishments or internalize their success, leading to further exasperation of the syndrome. This doubt leads imposter syndrome sufferers to jump through hoops to hide their insecurities from the world.
The four types of imposter syndrome fall into two major categories: overachievers and non-starters. Overachievers are just that—people who always seem to go above and beyond. They take on more and more activities, as if they are superhumans who can handle anything that comes their way. Perfectionists and people-pleasers fall into this category.
The second group is non-starters, those who struggle to take on any tasks. Paralysis and procrastinators fall into this category. Although these characteristics can be found in many people, in imposter syndrome there is a psychological misalignment of thoughts that leads to a masking of true identity. Let’s get into the four different types of imposter syndrome categories.
“… in imposter syndrome there is a psychological misalignment of thoughts that leads to a masking of true identity.”
Perfectionist
Perfectionists must create error-free, flawless work. An “A” grade or a pat on the back for a job well done do not create a pleasing feeling; they are required. With each piece of perfect work, a new bar is set, making each subsequent task harder to achieve. It’s common to find perfectionists laboring over their work. Perfectionists will restart their work and obsess over making it the best ever.
These people pour their heart and soul into their work to mask their insecurity that any mistake will reveal the ultimate “truth”: that the creator is an imposter who isn’t actually good at what they do. The perfectionist desperately curates a persona of greatness, no matter the personal toll it takes on them, so outsiders will never discover that deep down they are a “fraud.” In reality, others perceive them to be competent without reservations.
People-Pleaser
People-pleasers are an example of the power that insecurity wields over imposter syndrome strugglers. When asked to do anything, a people-pleaser will say yes. Folks who struggle with people-pleasing use agreement as a tool to prevent people from seeing their true insecurities.
They feel immense guilt and anxiety if they decline an offer, fearing that others will assume that they are not capable or competent. That fear drives them to say yes to everything, so their deep-seated fears are never recognized. This can lead to burnout and self-loathing.
Paralysis
The fear of being exposed as a phony or a fraud can prevent some people from committing to anything. Someone struggling with the paralysis version of imposter syndrome is too fearful to take on any challenge, instead choosing not to do anything at all. If a person never takes on a new endeavor, they can never fail; and if they never fail, no one can see them as the phony they believe themselves to be.
From an outsider’s perspective, the non-starter attitude seems out of place. Often those around the sufferer can see the ability in them but cannot understand why they don’t do anything with that potential. As the paralysis lingers, it reinforces the sufferer’s belief that they are not capable, and their self-esteem plummets. It becomes a self-fulling prophecy that traps the sufferer in a never-ending cycle of paralysis.
Procrastinator
It takes a lot of courage and self-confidence to try a new challenge. Individuals who struggle with procrastination take too long to build up their courage, resulting in delayed action. Another common problem for those affected by this type of imposter syndrome is to complete their work without leaving it until the last minute.
Procrastination is a tool for self-protection. It is easier to blame a lack of time than it is to admit fault in your work. Thus, to reduce risk of others finding out that the imposter is a “phony,” the imposter procrastinates to have an easy out when something is not up to standards. The difference between normal procrastination and imposter syndrome procrastination is the way the sufferer uses it to hide the fact that they feel unworthy.
Imposter syndrome is recoverable, through self-reflection and self-esteem building activities. If you find yourself identifying with one of these categories, it may take some work, but it is not impossible to rebuild your self-esteem. Eventually you will be able to lead with confidence, secure in the knowledge that your achievements came through hard work and are well deserved.
Ali Murphy is an LIS Technical Specialist at HealthPartners in Minneapolis, Minnesota.