The nagging voice in your head that questions whether you deserve to be in every room you enter may feel deeply personal, but it’s incredibly common. More than half of women in our audience (66 percent) say they experience imposter syndrome at work more than anywhere else.
Common characteristics of career-related imposter syndrome may include:
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Second-guessing your intelligence or abilities
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Feeling like a fraud, even when evidence shows you’re doing well
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Struggling to fully believe or accept your own accomplishments
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Being afraid of both failing and succeeding
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Overpreparing or doing more than necessary to prove you’re capable
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Constantly comparing yourself to coworkers
These behaviors can show up as downplaying wins, avoiding visibility, or assuming success is the result of luck rather than skill. And in workplace cultures that fail to provide clear feedback and support, imposter syndrome can become even harder to shake.
One of the simplest, most effective ways to interrupt imposter syndrome is to challenge negative self-talk and ground yourself using facts, not feelings. Implementing positive self-talk can stop the spiral and help you return to concrete evidence: your experience, your skills, the work you’ve done, and the trust others have placed in you. Here’s how to start.
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12 self-talk scripts + mini exercises for kicking imposter syndrome
We asked our audience how they talk themselves through moments of self-doubt. Based on their responses, we drafted positive self-talk scripts to use in the moments imposter syndrome shows up, plus mini exercises to help build long-term confidence.
1. “I ask myself what proof I have that I’m incapable or not good at whatever it is that I’m feeling like an imposter of, and 9 times out of 10, the proof does not exist.”
Repeat this out loud: “What evidence do I actually have that I’m not qualified for this? What are the facts? Emails? Missed deadlines? Explicit feedback? If I can’t point to real proof, then this is anxiety talking, not reality.”
Quick exercise: Start building an “evidence folder:” a dedicated place where you collect proof of your capabilities, successes, and growth. Open a Google Doc, Notion page, physical notebook, or a desktop folder for screenshots and emails. Anytime you receive positive recognition, finish a project, or overcome a challenge, record it.
2. “I have put in the time, effort, and energy. I am well-equipped to be in this position.”
Repeat this out loud: “I didn’t stumble into this role. I applied, interviewed, learned, practiced, and showed up. Effort counts. Preparation counts. I am equipped, even if I’m still growing.”
Quick exercise: Make a list titled “what I did to get here.” Write down every course you’ve taken, every late night you spent preparing for a pitch, every uncomfortable conversation you successfully navigated, every risk you’ve taken that paid off. Revisit it before high-stakes moments.
3. “I phone or text a friend who will build me up.”
Repeat this out loud: “I don’t have to do this alone. I have someone in my corner who knows my skills, my effort, and my worth. Reaching out is a smart, supportive step.”
Quick exercise: Pick one friend who is consistently encouraging and trustworthy and decide the conversation mode: text, DM, or call. You can start the chat with something like, “Hey! Can I get your perspective on something work-related? Feeling a little unsure and could use a confidence boost.” After the interaction, write down one line your friend said that lifted you up.
Read more: 15 Questions to Ask Your Family & Friends About Their Careers
4. “I reflect on my accomplishments to remind myself that success has always been attainable for me.”
Repeat this out loud: “I don’t have to feel confident to be competent. I have proof. I’ve done hard things before, and I did them well.”
Quick exercise: Write down three accomplishments from the past year. If you find yourself thinking “it wasn’t a big deal,” rewrite it as if describing someone else’s success.
5. “I remember every time I’ve ever struggled. Been fired. Failed. All those moments set me up to understand and measure my current success, and realize it’s been wholly earned.”
Repeat this out loud: “Every failure I survived taught me something. I’m not here despite those moments, I’m here because of them.”
Quick exercise: Draw a line down a page. On the left side, write “setbacks,” and on the right, “what it gave me.” For example:
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Setbacks |
What it gave me |
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Getting laid off from my first full-time job |
Resilience, clarity on what I want in a role, confidence to network and apply for new opportunities |
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Being passed over for a promotion |
Motivation to build skills, focus on measurable results, perspective on managing expectations |
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Receiving tough feedback on a project |
Better communication skills, ability to take constructive criticism, growth mindset |
6. “I remind myself my skills are valuable and that everyone had to first learn how to do what they do and also most likely doubted themselves as well.”
Repeat this out loud: “No one is born knowing how to do this. Every expert was once a beginner who Googled things and asked questions. Learning is part of the job.”
Quick exercise: List three skills you once struggled with that now feel routine. It can be as simple as mastering how to run an effective meeting or as complex as teaching yourself how to code. Let it be evidence you can learn this, too.
7. “I remind myself that the worst thing that can happen is I admit that ‘I don't know,’ and we can figure out together who is the subject matter expert.”
Repeat this out loud: “Not knowing doesn’t disqualify me. Pretending to know would. Saying ‘I don’t know yet’ is professional and solvable.”
Quick exercise: Jot down some responses you can use in the moment itself when you don’t have an answer:
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“That’s a great question. I don’t have the answer right now, but I can find out or loop in the right person.”
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“I’m not sure off the top of my head, but I’d love to look into it and get back to you.”
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“I want to make sure I give you accurate info, so I’ll take a few minutes to confirm and circle back.”
Read more: Build a Stretch Mindset: Your Guide to Growing at Work
8. “I tell myself just because I don’t understand why people see me as more capable and successful than I FEEL I am, doesn’t mean I’m not exactly who they see.”
Repeat this out loud: “My feelings are information, not instructions. The way I feel about my competence is not more accurate than the way others have consistently experienced it.”
Quick exercise: Draw two columns and label them “what I feel” and “what others have shown me.” For example:
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What I feel |
What others have shown me |
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“I’m not ready for this promotion.” |
My manager asked me to lead the new project. |
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“I don’t know enough to speak in meetings.” |
Colleagues come to me for advice on this topic. |
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“I’m not as capable as everyone else here.” |
I received positive feedback on my last presentation. |
9. “I think about how far I’ve come and all the good things that have happened this week.”
Repeat this out loud: “Progress isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like handling something faster, calmer, or with less self-doubt than last time.”
Quick exercise: Every Friday, finish this sentence: This week, I handled ___ better than I would have a year ago.
10. “I try to lean into the enjoyment I feel or any positive emotion. And I try to remind myself that I’m where I’m meant to be.”
Repeat this out loud: “I don’t have to wait for the other shoe to drop. I’m allowed to enjoy this moment without earning the joy first.”
Quick exercise: When something feels good, pause and name it out loud or in writing: “This feels like pride.” “This feels like alignment.”
11. “My father taught me to think hard, evaluate my words, and then speak. Doubts are removed by thinking before acting. I'm too busy acting to doubt.”
Repeat this out loud: “Thinking has its place, but action is what quiets doubt. I don’t need perfect clarity to take the next small step.”
Quick exercise: Ask yourself: What is the smallest action I can take in the next 10 minutes? Then do only that. Examples might include sending a quick follow-up email you’ve been putting off, scheduling a doctor’s appointment, or opening a document you’ve been avoiding and typing one sentence.
12. “I remind myself that I deserve to be everywhere that I am. I've worked hard, if not harder than most, to be where I am.”
Repeat this out loud: “I didn’t arrive here by luck or timing alone. I worked for this through learning curves, long days, and moments of doubt. I am allowed to take up space in rooms I’ve earned my way into.”
Quick exercise: Spend five minutes listing your wins, big and small, from the past week, month, or year. When finished, read the list out loud and say: “All of this is mine. I earned it. I deserve it.” Keep the list somewhere visible or add to it weekly so it becomes a personal proof folder to counter imposter syndrome anytime.
Read more: 15 Ways to Romanticize Your Work Wins
