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Pessimism vs. optimism -

Some psychologists believe that imposter syndrome is linked to the way we respond to bad experiences in our lives. The responses can be simplified as pessimism or optimism.

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Pessimism -

Pessimists often believe that bad events will last a long time, will undermine everything they do, and are their own fault.

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Optimism -

Optimists are more likely to think that a bad event is just a temporary setback, and likely a one-off occurrence. They are less likely to blame themselves.

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Optimists suffer less -

Even though optimists might not always be right, they are less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. And, of course, imposter syndrome.

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Feeling like a fraud -

For a pessimistic person with imposter syndrome, making a mistake is unacceptable. If you don’t feel worthy of your success, then a mistake could expose you as a fraud. Countless celebrities and other successful people have been open about experiencing this in their own lives.

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America Ferrera -

America Ferrera recently shared her real feelings about being the first Latina to win an Emmy in the lead actress category, this in 2007 for ‘Ugly Betty.’ She recalls how she worried that her role wasn’t edgy or deep enough, and how she felt like no one in the room thought she deserved to win. She didn’t enjoy the moment, but says she now knows her true value.

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Emma Watson - Emma Watson also admits to feeling like an imposter when she receives praise for her acting abilities. She says the feeling intensifies the more successful she becomes, as it feels more unbelievable that she’s "fooled" people.

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Tina Fey -

Tina Fey shared that she often feels like a fraud. She expected a career behind the scenes, and is still doubtful about her unexpected stardom.

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Amy Poehler -

In her book ‘Yes Please,’ Amy Poehler confirms that you never really feel like you’ve reached the top of ‘Career Mountain’ and are finally successful. It’s a constant struggle with feeling inadequate.

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Natalie Portman -

Oscar-winning actress and Harvard graduate Natalie Portman remembered feeling like she had to prove herself as a student. In her Hollywood career, she also felt the need to prove that she wasn’t a dumb actress.

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Penélope Cruz - Penélope Cruz says that she still feels like every movie is her first movie. In the first week, she always thinks she might be fired!

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Michelle Pfeiffer -

In an interview, Michelle Pfeiffer described how she often doubted herself because of her lack of formal training. Yet another successful woman who felt out of place.

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Jodie Foster - Jodie Foster described feeling like it was a "fluke" when she won her Oscar, the same way she felt when she got into Yale. She admitted to feeling like a fraud, in constant fear that someone would discover she doesn’t know what she’s doing.

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Ellie Goulding - Ellie Goulding spoke out about imposter syndrome on Instagram, sharing how it led her to sabotage her own  career.

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Michelle Obama -

Michelle Obama shared that she often still asks herself "am I good enough?"

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Maya Angelou -

Maya Angelou was nominated for and won countless awards, but even she experienced self-doubt. She once said that although she has published more than 10 books, every time she thinks "uh oh, they’re going to find out now."

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Sonia Sotomayor -

Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. Despite getting into Princeton and achieving the highest honor in her career field, she says she is always looking over her shoulder wondering if she measures up.

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Arianna Huffington -

Arianna Huffington, co-founder of the Huffington Post and author of many books, still has to fight the voice in her head that tells her she isn’t good enough.

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Howard Schultz -

Howard Schultz was the CEO of Starbucks for more than 30 years. He revealed that almost no one feels qualified for the job of CEO, even though they won’t usually admit it.

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Sheryl Sandberg -

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, spoke about imposter syndrome in her book ‘Lean In.’ She recalls feeling like she was fooling everyone when she was young, any time she succeeded or didn’t embarrass herself. She says she still sometimes feels like a fraud.

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Mike Cannon-Brookes -

Tech billionaire and CEO of Atlassian, Mike Cannon-Brookes (left) says that the feeling of being an imposter doesn’t go away with any level of success. In his experience, many other entrepreneurs had the same sense of being a fraud.

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Jocelyn Bell Burnell -

Astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell is credited with one of the most significant scientific discoveries of the 20th century (she co-discovered the first radio pulsars). She remembers feeling like she ended up at Cambridge by accident, and couldn’t help comparing herself to her seemingly intelligent and sophisticated classmates.

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Tom Hanks -

Oscar winner Tom Hanks expressed in an interview that no matter what you’ve done, you always wonder when everyone will figure out you’re a fraud and take it all away from you.

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What next? -

Clearly even the most successful people in the world still feel like they aren’t good enough, that they could be found out and lose it all at any moment. So, what can the average person do to get over this?

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1. Acknowledge your feelings -

Try to notice when you feel unworthy or like a failure. Recording these events in a journal is a good start. Start to analyze how realistic your beliefs about the situation are, and try to counteract them with some more positive alternatives.

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2. Talk to others -

Talk to people you trust and admire about these feelings. You may be surprised and encouraged to hear that many people feel the same.

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3. Make a plan -

Have a plan in place for when the negative voice starts putting you down and diminishing your success. Some people like to build up a digital folder of all the praise and good feedback they’ve received in their lives. You can look at this when you start to doubt yourself.

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4. Own your success -

It’s not really realistic to think that all the positive things that happen are thanks to someone else, or that you just got lucky. Accept that your life is shaped by your own actions. This means you can take responsibility for your successes. Celebrate them!

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5. Overcome perfectionism -

Perfectionism and imposter syndrome are closely linked. Setting more reasonable goals for yourself and understanding that failure is a natural part of life can greatly improve your health and happiness.

See also: The fear of imperfection: Signs you might have atelophobia

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